Second meeting of Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Civil Aviation held

The Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Civil Aviation met to discuss issues relating to the Civil Aviation Sector. Welcoming the Members the Chairperson of the Committee, Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel observed that the aviation industry had gone through a critical phase in the past two years. He briefed the Members on the policies of the Government and the problems of the sector. He remarked that self-regulation by airlines to face the economic crunch had brought about reduced capacity. However, airlines are registering growth once again and more new flights to different parts of the country is expected to start soon. The Minister made a special mention about the problems being faced by Air India. He said that the Government is committed to ensure that the national carrier does well and turns around. He ensured the Members that the next meeting of this Committee would focus on Air India – a detailed presentation would be met to the Members on the problems of Air India and plans to turnaround the company, so that the Members could give their suggestions in this regard.

Cutting across party lines, Members expressed appreciation of the modernization and upgradation of airports across the country. Besides, Members, raised various important issues regarding the sector including growth of cargo operations in the country, shortage of air traffic controllers, corporatisation of ATC, helicopter operations, connectivity to remote areas like North-East, Leh and Andaman & Nicobar islands, pilot training, naming of airports across the country, facilities of Members of Parliament at airports, status of flying clubs across the country, use of cell phones in aircraft, airport entry passes, use of body scanners at airports, User Development Fees at airports, and most importantly the crisis situation in Air India.
In the course of the meeting, the Minister announced that the Standard Operation Procedure for helicopter operations would be notified by 15th March, 2010.
The meeting was attended by Shri Milind Deora, Shri Ninong Ering, Shri Mithlesh Kumar, Dr. Prasanna K. Patasani, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Shri Dilip Gandhi, Shri Ram Singh Kaswan, Shri Ashok Argal, Shri Ambica Banerjee, Shri Hassan Khan, Shri P.C. Chacko, Shri Manicka Tagore, Shri Poorika Balram Naik from Lok Sabha and Shri Santosh Bagrodia, Shri Lalhming Liana, Shri Tarlochan Singh, Shri Vijay J. Darda, Shri Tiruchi Siva, Shri Adbul Wahab Peevee, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Shri Avtar Singh Karimpuri from Rajya Sabha.
11/03/10 PRESS RELEASE/Press Information Bureau

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Mar 2010