The Upper House of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, after an hour-long discussion. The Bill was already cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year.
It seeks to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 which regulates manufacture, possession, use, operation, sale, import and export of civil aircrafts, and licensing of aerodromes.
During his opening remarks, Puri said in the house that, “India is the third largest market globally after the United States and China. It is growing rapidly in aviation sectors and the passenger growth from 2008-09 to 2013-14 was 9% and from 2014-15 to 2018-20, it was 12.4%.”
Key features
-The Bill seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies to be headed by Director General appointed by the Centre.
-GCA will have safety oversight and regulatory functions as mentioned in the Bill. BCAS will carry out regulatory activities related to civil aviation security. AAIB will look into investigative activities for aircraft accidents. The central government can issue directions to these bodies with respect to their activities in public interest.
-Under the new Act (after its implementation), any violation will attract heavy punishment, for example, violators will be punished up to two years in jail or fine up to ₹10 lakh or both. Carrying arms, ammunition, and explosives or other banned goods on board, and developing illegal construction around the airports will attract fines up to ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore.
-The statutory status of these bodies will help in improving India’s aviation safety rank as suggested by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
-The Bill also gives the Director-General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security or any other officer appointed by the Union government the power to issue directions (consistent with the provisions of this Act) to any person or persons using any aerodrome, or engaged in the aircraft operations, air traffic control, maintenance and operation of the aerodrome, or safeguarding civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. -The Bill also gives the Union government power to appoint officers who are not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India or equivalent, to adjudge penalty as it considers necessary after giving the person an opportunity of being heard.
