Hardeep Singh Puri to move Aircraft Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha today

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday will move The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in Lok Sabha for consideration and passing.

The Bill seeks to make three regulatory bodies in civil aviation more effective and expand the scope of the existing Act to include regulation of all areas of air navigation.

The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was introduced by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal on behalf of Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri last month.

The Bill, which seeks to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 enhances the maximum limit of fine from the existing Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore. It also enlarges the scope of the existing Act to include regulation of all areas of air navigation.

The amendments would fulfil the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The amendments will enable the three regulatory bodies in the Civil Aviation sector in India - Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau "to become more effective to increase the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country".