The bill proposes to convert three existing regulatory bodies under the Ministry of Civil Aviation into statutory bodies under the Aircraft Act, 1934. The bill also seeks to grant statutory status to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), for which the center can frame rules.
The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 provides for the following:
- To define the expressions of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety and the Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation;
- To empower the Central Government to constitute the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety and Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation under the Act and to specify its responsibilities;
- The Central Government is empowered to issue instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety and Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation on any matter if it is considered necessary to do so in the public interest;
- To empower the Central Government to review any order passed by the Director-General of Civil Aviation and Director General of Civil Aviation Security and also direct them to revoke or amend such order;
- To incorporate the regulation of all sectors of air shipping services;
- To empower the Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety or an authorized officer to issue instructions;
- The penalty limit will be increased from the existing ten lakh rupees to one crore rupees.
- To appoint designated officers to recognize penalties;
- To provision for complicating crimes;
- To exclude aircraft belonging to any armed forces of the Union other than navy, military or air force from the purview of the Act.