New Delhi: The Union Cabinet's nod is required to give effect to the Government decision to allow private carriers to fly to Colombo, Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said today (Nov 12).

"The Cabinet will give approval (to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent announcement)… The matter is likely to come up for discussion in the Cabinet before the (winter) session of Parliament," he told reporters on the sidelines of conference on 'Century of Aviation' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

In case any changes were required to be made in the bilateral arrangements between India and Sri Lanka, they would be carried out. "The rights of Air India and Indian Airlines (vis-a-vis their services to Colombo) will be protected and benefits reaped," Rudy said.

Following Vajpayee's announcement at a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, Jet Airways said it had all arrangements in place to launch services within a week of Government granting it permission and Air Sahara stating it had chalked out its operational plans.

To questions on the much-delayed Civil Aviation Policy, he said the Naresh Chandra Committee has already prepared a blueprint and set the ground rules for the entire aviation sector. The policy would be placed before Parliament in the ensuing session for ratification.

The Committee's blueprint has "almost been frozen" and discussion on most aspects completed, he added.

PTI