The Hindu : Panel to prepare roadmap for aviation policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 19, 2003

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Panel to prepare roadmap for aviation policy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 18. The Government has appointed a five-member committee, headed by the former Cabinet Secretary, Naresh Chandra, to evolve a roadmap for the civil aviation sector that will form the basis of a new civil aviation policy.

The Committee has been asked to prepare the roadmap covering all relevant aspects, including competition in the area of international and domestic airlines. It will also look into 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 sector. It will also go into the development of regional air connectivity and a mechanism for providing air service to interior areas and operation of economically unviable but socially essential routes.

Regulatory mechanism for technical and financial issues, upgradation of systems for air traffic control and meteorological information, aviation security and safety and training will also come up for scrutiny.

The Committee may co-opt any expert it may consider useful and interact with institutes, individuals and organisations connected with or interested in civil aviation. An official statement said the need for setting up the committee was felt as the draft civil aviation policy was published four years ago and there has not been any forward movement. Other panel members are Deepak Parikh, chairman of HDFC, Pronab Sen, adviser, Planning Commission, and the Secretary, Civil Aviation. The additional secretary, who is also financial adviser of the Civil Aviation Ministry, will be the member-secretary of the Committee. It will submit its report in three months.

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