The Rajya Sabha has passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 with a voice vote on Tuesday. This Bill had already been passed in Lok Sabha earlier this year in March. It will provide the statutory status to DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which will ultimately improve the aviation safety ratings of India.
DGCA 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.
“India being the one of the fastest growing nation in the field of Civil Aviation, the regulatory framework of Civil Aviation needs not only to have effective regulatory mechanism, but the regulations are also expected to facilitate safe, smooth and rapid growth of civil aviation in India,” said Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
This Bill seeks to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 which regulates manufacture, pos- session, use, operation, sale, import and export of civil aircrafts, and licencing of aerodromes. The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 will also keep the aircraft belong- ing to the country’s armed forces outside the purview of the Aircraft Act, 1934. As per this Bill, violation of the new rules may attract jail term of up to two years and increased fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore.