PANEL CONSTITUTED TO PREPARE ROADMAP
FOR CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR
The Civil Aviation
Ministry has set up a high level committee to prepare a roadmap
for the civil aviation sector that will provide the basis of a
new National Civil Aviation Policy. The five member Committee
will be headed by the former Cabinet Secretary Shri Naresh Chandra.
Other members of the Committee are Shri Deepak Parikh, Chairman,
HDFC; Dr. Pronab Sen, Advisor, Planning Commission; Secretary
Civil Aviation and the Addl. Secretary and Financial Advisor,
Ministry of Civil Aviation will be the Member Secretary.
The Committee shall
prepare the roadmap for the civil aviation sector covering all
relevant aspects including competition in the area of international
and domestic airlines and the future role of Air India Ltd. and
Indian Airlines Ltd, restructuring of airports with a view to
developing a world class airport infrastructure including one
or more international hub and affordability and connectivity in
the domestic aviation sector. The Committee will go into the development
of regional air connectivity within the country and a mechanism
for providing air service to interior areas and operation of economically
unviable but socially essential routes. The Committee will also
go into the regulatory mechanism for technical and financial issues,
upgradation of systems for air traffic control and meteorological
information, aviation security, aviation safety and aviation training.
The Committee may
co-opt any expert it may consider useful and interact with institutes,
individuals and organizations connected with or interested in
civil aviation.
The need for setting
up a Committee was felt as the draft civil aviation policy was
published 4 years ago and there has been no forward movement in
this regard. Recognising the importance of the aviation sector
in the general economic development of the country, the Civil
Aviation Minister Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been emphasizing
on the need to take a broader view of the sector including all
relevant areas.
The Committee will
submit its final report within three months and may submit interim
recommendation whenever necessary.
