Mumbai: The Centre has appointed M Sathiyavathy as the director-general of civil aviation. She replaces Prabhat Kumar, who has been removed from the post within a year of his appointment.
Currently, Sathiyavathy is additional secretary and financial advisor in the civil aviation ministry. A 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Union Territories cadre, she was earlier chief secretary in the Puducherry government. She is only the second woman officer to hold Director General post after Prem Lal who held the post in early 1980s.
Following a downgrade by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year, Prabhat Kumar was leading efforts to restore India’s aviation safety ranking. It is expected the FAA will communicate a decision on the matter by March.
Recently, Kumar has been criticised for the manner in which the SpiceJet issue has been handled. After the carrier cut its schedule, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had imposed booking curbs on SpiceJet and cancelled the airline’s 186 slots. The decision was, however, reversed by the civil aviation ministry.
Kumar, a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, had joined the civil aviation ministry as officer on special duty to then aviation minister Ajit Singh. Typically, IAS officers get five-year deputation to the central government. Sources said it had been long since Kumar had completed his five-year term.
31/12/2014 Busisness Standard
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Currently, Sathiyavathy is additional secretary and financial advisor in the civil aviation ministry. A 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Union Territories cadre, she was earlier chief secretary in the Puducherry government. She is only the second woman officer to hold Director General post after Prem Lal who held the post in early 1980s.
Following a downgrade by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year, Prabhat Kumar was leading efforts to restore India’s aviation safety ranking. It is expected the FAA will communicate a decision on the matter by March.
Recently, Kumar has been criticised for the manner in which the SpiceJet issue has been handled. After the carrier cut its schedule, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had imposed booking curbs on SpiceJet and cancelled the airline’s 186 slots. The decision was, however, reversed by the civil aviation ministry.
Kumar, a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, had joined the civil aviation ministry as officer on special duty to then aviation minister Ajit Singh. Typically, IAS officers get five-year deputation to the central government. Sources said it had been long since Kumar had completed his five-year term.
31/12/2014 Busisness Standard
