2020 – Posted in: Daily News

The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered:

Key proposals of Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020
Significances & Advantages
About the International Civil Aviation Organization
About the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
About the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security
About the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau

News Flash

The government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Aircraft Act.

Key Proposals

The fine amount for violations will be hiked from Rs 10 lakh to up to Rs 1 crore.
The amendment bill also provides for Keeping “aircraft belonging to any armed forces of the Union, other than naval, from military or air force outside the purview” of the Aircraft Act, 1934.
A few other provisions would also be made part of the law that will also help in complying with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) requirements.
Other proposals include empowering BCAS or any authorised officer to issue directions, having designated officers for adjudging penalties and introducing a provision for compounding of offences.
The bill seeks to empower the central government to constitute DGCA, BCAS and AAIB under the Act as well as specify their responsibilities.
The bill also seeks to bring regulations of all areas of air navigation services under the Act. The Act has provisions for securing the safety of aircraft operations in India and carrying out civil aviation operations as per standards, procedures and practices laid down by ICAO.

Compoundable Offence

Compoundable offences are those which can be settled by paying a certain amount of money.

Impact

Once the amendments are passed, the government would have the power to issue directions to review, if necessary in public interest, any order passed by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), as per the bill’s Statement of Objects and Reasons.

Significance

This would enable the three regulatory bodies in the civil aviation sector, DGCA, BCAS and AAIB to become more effective, which would lead to enhancement in the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
It changes the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
Its headquarters is located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

DGCA is the Indian governmental regulatory body for civil aviation under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, headquartered in New Delhi.
This directorate investigates aviation accidents and incidents.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)

BCAS is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (India).
It is headed by an officer of the rank of Director General of police and is designated as Director-General of Security (Civil Aviation).
It is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security in India.
Director-General of security (DG BCAS) is the appropriate authority for the implementation of Annexure 17(Security: Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference) to the Chicago convention of International Civil Aviation Organization.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is a division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India which investigates aircraft accidents and incidents in India.

Source: Business Standard