Indian govt clarifies still planning to sell Air India

India clarified Thursday that plans to sell debt-laden Air India were still on track, hours after a junior minister told parliament the privatisation was on hold because of high oil prices and volatile exchange rates. India failed last year in its attempt to sell a 76% stake in loss-making Air India due to a lack of interest from bidders, but said it would return with an alternative proposal soon. The govt injected US$573.67m into the airline in the fiscal year that ended March 31 and hived off some debt and the Ministry of Civil Aviation said Thursday that the carrier was ready for sale. It issued the statement to correct comments earlier in the day by the country's junior civil aviation minister, who told parliament conditions were still not right to attempt another sale. <br/>