NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has promised to stand by the struggling aviation sector and not let any airline wind up due to financial difficulties or safety concerns, raising hopes of a safe landing after months of turbulence for the country's loss-making carriers.Most domestic airlines have registered huge losses in the first half of the current financial year, and industry association Assocham has estimated that the sector's total losses for the year could be as high as Rs 15,000 crore. The cumulative debt of the industry has risen to Rs 70,000 crore, raising concerns about loan repayment defaults.To compound matters, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA ) has in a surveillance report concluded that the financial problems of airlines were adversely impacting their safety standards.The DGCA study is reported to have found that a reasonable case exists for the withdrawal of Kingfisher Airlines ' licence as its 'financial stress is likely to impinge on safety'. It has also said a 'prima facie' case exists for restricting the operations of Air India Express due to safety issues, while finding issues with other airlines.But the 72-year-old Singh, who took over as civil aviation minister last month after his party, the RLD , joined the UPA , ruled out the possibility of the government closing down any airline."There is no case to let airlines shut down for financial or safety reasons. We can recommend measures to ensure safety. But we will not cancel licences because even one airline winding up has repercussions for the entire industry. World over, airlines are financially impacted. It is a rough patch for domestic carriers and we have to provide help to the sector," said Singh in his first exclusive media interaction after becoming minister.Describing aviation as an infrastructure industry that will fuel economic growth, Singh said the government would ensure that carriers get fuel at competitive prices and that working capital is made available to all airlines, though he did not specify how these measures will be implemented."The aviation industry has to grow but there are bottlenecks. On the part of airlines, lot of cost restructuring is required. They have to realise theirs is a service industry. On our part, we will ensure that fuel price is made competitive and there is availability of working capital to all airlines," he said.The minister said the government would continue inviting private investment in airports. "More new airports will have to be built in the country on joint venture mode. Private investors are needed because AAI alone can't make investments of that order," he said.