Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has introduced the “Indian Aircraft Bill 2024” in the Lok Sabha
Indian Aircraft Bill 2024
- The Indian Aircraft Bill 2024 was introduced in the Lok Sabha to reform aviation rules in India and replace the British-era Aircraft Act, 1934.
- However, the opposition objected to its Hindi name on the basis of Article 348 (1) (b), Article 120 and Article 340 of the Constitution.
Objective
- The purpose of this bill is to provide necessary powers to the Central Government to increase safety, surveillance in the aviation sector, meet developmental needs and implement the provisions of international agreements.
Key provisions of the bill
- In the new bill, the government has changed the definition of aircraft, removing balloons and gliders.
- Aircraft means any ‘machine’ which is capable of being supported by the reactions of air in the atmosphere (except the reactions of air against the surface of the earth, such as balloons and gliders).
- The new bill has enhanced the powers of DGCA, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to ensure safety of aviation.
- The bill proposes to bring examinations on the use of radio communication equipment in aircraft under the purview of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
- The government has also introduced a repeal clause.
- The repeal clause will ensure that all previous rules and regulations (including the Aircraft Rules 1937) that were enacted will continue to be in force under the new bill, provided they do not conflict with the new Act.
- Powers have been given to the Central Government to make rules to implement the Convention relating to International Civil Aviation and other matters related to civil aviation security.
- Such as; Chicago Convention (1944); International Telecommunication Convention (1932 Madrid, latest amended in 2022)
Why the new law is needed
- In a period of 90 years, the Aircraft Act 1934 has been amended 21 times so far.
- The need to introduce this new bill has been felt to remove the confusion and ambiguities created for the stakeholders due to these amendments, remove unnecessary things and to ease the manufacturing and maintenance and ease of doing business in the aviation sector.