New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS): Centre has finalised the draft Expression of Interest for privatisation of Air India, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

According to the official, the EoI inviting bids for the national carrier will be issued by the month end.

The development comes after the ministerial panel on Air India disinvestment met here on Tuesday.

After the meet, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that it was productive and a statement on the decisions taken will be issued soon.

At present, Union Home Minister Amit Shah heads the panel looking after the divestment process. Its other members include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and the Civil Aviation Minister.

In the previous Modi government, the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley headed the ministerial panel called the Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM).

After failing to find a bidder then, the government is working on a war footing to sell Air India to a private player.