Aviation Minister inaugurates meeting on operational safety

Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Tuesday inaugurated the 24th steering committee meeting on Co-operative Development in operational safety and continuing airworthiness - South Asia (ICAO) here.

Speaking on the occasion, Raju invited all SAARC countries and member states of COSCAP to cooperate on various issues concerning the aviation sector and bring about growth. Underlining the need for making skies safer for aviation, Raju said technology and regulation both play important roles to achieve objectives.

Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey emphasized the need for upgrading CAAs technologically and share expertise amongst the member countries. While highlighting the growth of passenger traffic, he said safety regulators are facing three challenges- very fast paced growth in technology, explosive growth of passenger traffic and challenges of quality manpower.

He said adequate aviation infrastructure should precede growth and not follow it. He called upon member countries in the region to avail the facility made available by GAGAN project launched by India.

M. Sathiyavathi of the DGCA welcomed about 87 delegates who included senior officers of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of COSCAP-SA member states and other stakeholders from the industry.

The ICAO, is a joint programme of seven SAARC countries, namely India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Delegation also includes donors and industry participants e.g. Airbus, Boeing, EASA-EC, ICAO, COSCAP-SA, France Embassy, Airlines, Airport Operators, AAI, IMD.

The programme is aimed in assisting participant states in developing regulations and standards and to improve their independent oversight capabilities.

The steering committee is headed by a chairperson who is selected from amongst the SC members and holds office for a period of two consecutive years and presides over the SC meetings which are held every year.

Currently, DGCA is the chairperson of the steering committee.