(a) whether the Posts and Telegraph Department owes crores of rupees to the Indian Airlines for the domestic mails since 1944;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the reasons for withhelding the payment; and
(d) the time by which arrears are likely to be cleared?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SANJYA PASWAN)
(a) No, Sir. The disputed arrear issue related to 1994 onwards and not 1944.
(b) to (d): The Indian Airlines carries domestic mails for the Department of Posts. Since the Indian Airlines frequently and unilaterally enhanced the rates for carriage of mail, the department referred the matter to the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure for their intervention for fixing a reasonable rate to be paid to Indian Airlines by the Department. Meanwhile, the department continued to make payment to Indian Airlines at a provisional rate on the advice of the Ministry of Finance, Department of expenditure. The Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure finally fixed the rate for payment to Indian Airlines from 1994-95 to 1999-2000 and advised the department in January 2002 to make payment of Rs. 24.90 crores to Indian Airlines. The department accordingly, paid the amount in two installments of Rs. 20.00 crores and Rs. 4.90 crores in February and March 2002 respectively. Thereafter, the bills are being paid at provisional rate, pending finalisation of rates for the period 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 by Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure.