The Union Cabinet has given its approval to introduce the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Parliament. The Bill is intended to carry out amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934. The Bill will now be introduced in the Parliament.

The amendment will increase the limit on the maximum fine on regulatory and other lapses found in aircraft operations.

"The Bill enhances the maximum limit of fine from the existing Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore. It also enlarges the scope of the existing Act to include regulation of all areas of air navigation," PIB said in a media release on Wednesday.

It will also enable the three regulatory bodies in the sector Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to become "more effective, which will lead to enhancement in the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country".

The amendments would fulfil the requirements of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

ICAO is the United Nation’s global aviation watchdog. In November 2017 and February 2018, ICAO conducted the ‘Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme’. This audit revealed that India’s score had declined to 57.44%. Earlier it was 65.82%. The score of 57.44% meant that India was below Pakistan and Nepal. It is also lower than the global average of 65% on the ICAO’s board.

According to a Mint report, ICAO also visited India in November 2018 where it assessed action taken on issues related to aerodromes and ground aids, air navigation services (ANS) and aircraft accident and incident investigation. These were issues that were flagged off by ICAO in November 2015.

With IANS inputs