Lok Sabha Question No. 1219 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-27
Subject: Strengthening of Infrastructure of DGCA
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Anil Firojiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1219

(To be answered on the 27 th  July 2023)

## STRENGTHENING OF INFRASTRUCTURE OF DGCA

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

1219.

SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA

be pleased to state:-

(a)whether any scheme has been proposed to strengthen the institutional infrastructure of DGCA/AERA/AAI;

- (b)if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether any scheme has been formulated to operationalise new airports under the Greenfield Policy and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)whether any scheme has been formulated to operationalise more unserved or underserved airports under Regional Air connectivity scheme- Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik and if so, the details thereof;
- (e)whether any scheme has been formulated to include more aircrafts by airlines operators and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)the details of the scheme formulated for speedy development of this sector?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))

(a) & (b): Necessary measures are taken by the Government from time to time to strengthen the institutional infrastructure of the Organisations. A proposal for restructuring of  Directorate General of  Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been approved and 416 new posts , technical as well as non-technical, have been created during  the year 2022.

As regards Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), 11 posts have been created during the period 2019 - 2022, which is an increase of approx 35% in the sanctioned strength.

Recruitment process for filling up  of 960 posts in various categories has been initiated by Airports Authority of India (AAI) during 2022-23.

- (c) Government of India (GoI) has formulated a Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 which prescribes the procedure and conditions for development of Greenfield airports in the country. As per the Policy, a State Government or an Airport Developer, willing to establish an airport, is required to send a proposal to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for 2-stage approval i.e. 'Site-Clearance' followed by 'In-Principle' approval. Such proposals are considered by MoCA as per the procedure stipulated in the GFA Policy.

(d) : In line with National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)-2016, MoCA launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) on 21.10.2016 which is in operation for a period of 10 years from the date of its notification.  UDAN is a market driven scheme. Interested airlines, based on their assessment of demand on particular routes,  submit  their  proposals  at  the  time  of  bidding  under  UDAN.  Promoting affordability of regional air connectivity is envisioned under UDAN by supporting Selected Airline Operators (SAOs) through concessions by Central Government, State Governments/UTs and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operations on regional routes and providing financial (Viability Gap Funding or VGF) support to meet the gap, if any, between the cost of airline operations and expected revenues on such UDAN routes. So far, 479 RCS routes connecting 74 unserved and underserved airports, including 9

heliports and 02 water aerodromes, have been operationalised under UDAN. (e) : No Sir

(f) : In 2016, the Government released the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP 2016), which laid out the vision, mission and key objectives for the sector. Under NCAP, the Government has proposed to take flying to the masses by making it affordable, convenient and provide safe, secure, affordable and sustainable air travel for passengers and air transportation of cargo with access to various parts of India and the world and establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant growth of civil aviation sector, which in turn would promote tourism, increase employment and lead to a balanced regional growth.

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