Mumbai: The recent decision to defer privatisation of airports in the metro cities in India is a step taken in the right direction in view of the country facing terror threats and frequent bomb scares due to which the airports require stringent security, according to All India Association of Industries (AIAI) president Vijay G Kalantri.

In a recent opinion poll conducted in the US more than 62 per cent felt that an airport should be managed by the federal government only, he said. ''This clearly indicates that neither private companies nor even the state governments enjoy the same level of public confidence in the US. The same is true about India, too.''

AIAI says the government must review its entire plan for privatisation and disinvestment. ''While the process may continue, care may be taken to delete airports, defence related sectors and such other undertakings, which affect national security, from privatisation and disinvestment. In any case this would be in line with the finance minister's statement that the government should confine itself to the social sector and infrastructure. Airports are an important part of infrastructure.''