Civil aviation authority to replace DGCA

In a move to provide more functional and financial autonomy to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), it will be soon replaced by a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

From a note for the cabinet prepared by the civil aviation ministry, Arun Mishra, now the director-general of civil aviation, is to become chief executive officer (CEO) of the proposed CAA. There is provision for the strength to go up to 15 to 16, said a senior ministry official. The note is likely to be placed before the cabinet in April.

The move is expected to give CAA more financial and functional autonomy. A senior ministry official told Business Standard, “Right now, whatever revenue DGCA generates from licences, etc, goes to the Consolidated Fund of India. DGCA’s own requirement has to be approved from the ministry. Now, CAA will collect the revenues, etc, and the additional money over and above its annual budget will go to Consolidated Fund.”

Shortage of staff at DGCA has forced the regulator to outsource some of its work. DGCA has pilots on deputation from various airlines in its flight standards department, which is to check all pilots and safety operations at airlines. To avoid a conflict of interest, DGCA ensures these pilots do not make checks on their own airlines, said a ministry official. At present, it recruits through the Staff Selection Commission or the Union Public Service Commission. The salaries of technical staff will now be market-determined and for administrative staff, synchronous with the government level, said a senior ministry official.

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