Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak: Parliament clears Bill to replace 90-yr-old Aircraft Act

The Bill focuses on enhancing safety, regulatory oversight, and consumer protection while aligning with international standards

Parliament on Thursday passed a Bill to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act to further improve the ease of doing business in the fast-growing aviation sector.

The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 was passed in the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote. It was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha on August 9.

The Bill seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934, which has been amended 21 times.

Replying to the debate on the Bill in the Upper House, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the change in title of the Bill from English to Hindi, to which many members raised objections, was done to showcase the India's heritage and culture, and there was no violation of Constitutional rule.

It will be difficult to pronounce the name of the Bill in Hindi initially but one will get used to it, he added.

The Bill focuses on enhancing safety, regulatory oversight, and consumer protection while aligning with international standards. The Bill also promotes self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing, encourages investment, and establishes robust governance structures for civil aviation authorities.