Why in news?
Rajya Sabha has passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020.
What does the amendment seek to do?
- The bill will amend the Aircraft Act of 1934.
- It seeks to provide statutory status to the
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),
- Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and
- Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
- It seeks to expand the role of the two regulators, DGCA and BCAS.
What will change when this Bill becomes law?
- The DGCA will be empowered to impose penalties for certain violations.
- It will increase the maximum penalty limit to Rs 1 crore from the existing Rs 10 lakh.
- It will allow the Ministry of Civil Aviation to review any order passed by the Director General of Civil Aviation and the Director General of Civil Aviation Security.
- The Ministry can direct them to rescind or modify such order.
Why are these amendments being made to the Aircraft Act?
- The Aircraft Act of 1934 was enacted to control the manufacture, possession, use, operation, sale, import and export of aircraft.
- It secures the safety of aircraft operations in India.
- It makes provisions for carrying out civil aviation operations as per standards, procedures and practices laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
- From time to time, the government has made amendments to the Act to meet the evolving global and Indian aviation scenario.
- The various changes that needed to be made necessitated amendments to the Aircraft Act.
What was the trigger for these changes now?
- India, as a signatory, is subjected to audits by ICAO and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
- The audits conducted by the ICAO in 2012 and 2015 indicated a need to amend the Aircraft Act,
- To give proper recognition to the regulators under the Act,
- To enhance the maximum quantum of fines,
- To empower the departmental officers to impose financial penalties on individuals or organisations involved in violations of the legal provisions and
- To include certain areas of air navigation services for rulemaking purposes under Section 5 of the Act.
- These are the triggers for proposal to amend the Aircraft Act of 1934.
How are the audits conducted?
- ICAO - The ICAO regularly conducts safety and security audits of all countries which are signatory to the Chicago Convention.
- These audits are done to ensure these countries are carrying out their safety and security oversight functions.
- These audits are conducted under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme and the Universal Security Audit Programme.
- FAA - The FAA of the US also conducts safety audits of countries whose airlines operate to the US.
- These audits are conducted under its International Aviation Safety Assessment Programme.
Source: The Indian Express
Quick Fact
International Civil Aviation Organization
- It was created after the Chicago convention on International Civil Aviation.
- It became a specialized agency of the United Nations linked to Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- Secretariat - Montreal, Canada.
- It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency as well as for aviation environmental protection.