From correspondents in Delhi, India, 03:32 AM IST

A parliamentary committee Tuesday expressed concern over the shortage of pilots and inadequate training facilities for them in India and urged the civil aviation ministry to take steps to deal with the issue.

'The government is doing its best to resolve this matter,' Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told members of the consultative committee on civil aviation that met here Tuesday.

Patel informed the panel members that the capacity of the government run flying training institute, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademy (IGRUA), had been enhanced.

A new flying training institute is coming up at Gondia in Maharahstra and approval has been given to five more training institutes, he said.

The minister added that foreign pilots were also being given licences to fly in India after clearing an examination conducted by the directorate general of civil aviation.

To overcome the shortage of instructors at IGRUA it has been made mandatory for private carriers to provide instructors to the Akademy on a part time basis. Two Indian Air Force officers have also joined IGRUA as instructors, Patel said.

The civil aviation ministry was also exploring the possibility of giving management contract of the Akademy to a reputed international company to bring it up to international standards.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)