Govt plans to arm DGCA with powers to impose penalties for violating rules

The government plans to provide civil aviation regulator DGCA with powers to impose penalties on entities violating the rules.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said a proposal to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 to make provisions for imposing penalties by the DGCA on service providers for violations of the Act and the aircraft rules have been moved.

"The amendment has been proposed as a result of ICAO audit finding wherein it has been stated that the DGCA does not have the authority to impose penalties," he added.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is the UN aviation watchdog.

Stringent provisions are in place that allows the DGCA to deal with violations at various levels, including those related to airlines, pilots, crew members and other entities.

The watchdog can debar, suspend and even cancel the permission to fly for the carriers as well as individual pilots and engineers. However, it cannot impose any monetary penalty.

Responding to another question, the minister said that taxation on global air tickets is "as per the prevalent laws in India".