Govt nods Aircraft Act amendment plans

In a bid to grant regulatory powers to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the government on Thursday approved a number of proposals to amend the 1934 Aircraft Act to enable it to exercise supervisory control over several matters including communication, air traffic management and operation of foreign registered planes in the Indian skies.

The Union Cabinet decided to finalise the legislation to in consultation with the legislative department before being moved in the Parliament, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

Through the proposed amendment, the government would acquire powers to exercise supervisory control on the standards of airport, communication, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management facilities.

The Centre would be

able to exercise control on the manufacture, possession, use, operation and sale of civil aircraft through this amendment. It would enable licensing of the personnel engaged in air traffic control, enhancing the quantum of penalties for violation of the Aircraft Act and cover the security aspects of aircraft operations.

The decision to amend the age-old law was taken in view of the major developments in the country's aviation sector, the opening up of the sector and the switching of CNS-ATM from ground-based to satellite-based technology.

In recent past, a need was felt to lay down proper safeguards to ensure aviation security too.

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