News Analysis India

Tag: Civil Aviation Minister

  • American aviation honchos upbeat about Indian skies: Scindia

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: American firms are evincing interest in India’s aviation sector, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said after meeting top industry players in the US.‘‘I had a detailed discussion with Hamid Salim, VP Sikorsky on deepening Lockheed Martin’s engagement with India, including developments in the helicopter sector and setting up offset and MRO facilities in India (sic),” the minister tweeted.

    In New York, Scindia has already met global majors including like Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, and Blade Air Mobility.The minister expressed hope that the talks would translate into investments across a range of segments from manufacturing aircraft and their components to airport infrastructure. “Discussed potential collaboration for enhancing the civil aviation infrastructure ecosystem in India, including setting up MROs and furthering GAGAN project,’’ Scindia said.

    The GAGAN project is a collaboration of the ISRO and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to implement a GPS aided geo augmented navigation for the Indian airspace.The minister also met with members of the US India Business Council with whom he discussed about growing focus and opportunities in regional connectivity and urban air mobility in India.Scindia will also visit the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) headquarters in Canada’s Montreal and discuss opportunities for the two countries in the aviation sector. 

  • ‘Evaluating process’, says Aviation minister Scindia on normalising intl flight operations

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said the process is being evaluated with respect to normalising international flight operations.

    Scheduled international passenger flights to and from India remain suspended since March last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    India has air bubble arrangements with more than 25 countries for operating international flights.

    “We are evaluating the process,” the minister said while responding to a query on when international flight operations are likely to normalise.

    While emphasising that everyone has to be careful in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, he said, “we are coming back to normalcy”.

    Scindia was speaking at the ‘Global Economic Policy Summit 2021 Rebuilding Economies’ organised by industry body CII.

    Under an air bubble arrangement between two countries, international passenger flights can be operated by their respective carriers into each other’s territories subject to certain conditions.

  • ‘Evaluating process’, says Aviation minister Scindia on normalising international flight operations

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said the government is evaluating the process for normalising international operations and asserted that it wants to return to normalcy while keeping in mind the coronavirus pandemic situation in certain parts of the world.

    In a possible indication that overseas flight operations are unlikely to be fully normal in the near term, the minister said that people should not let down their guard.

    “I am all for regaining our space in the civil aviation arena in the world and making a hub in India and for more wide body aircraft. We will get there but bear with me and trust me, I am on your side. We will work together but in a safe environment,” he said.

    Scheduled international passenger flights to and from India remain suspended since March last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    India has air bubble arrangements with more than 25 countries for operating international flights.

    Under an air bubble arrangement between two countries, international passenger flights can be operated by their respective carriers into each other’s territories subject to certain conditions.

    “We are evaluating the process,” the minister said while responding to a query on when international flight operations are likely to normalise.

    Speaking at a summit organised by industry body CII, Scindia also said that his aim is to make India an aviation hub.

    “Let me commit to you that we are evaluating that process. We want to return but keeping in mind what is happening in the world….today what is happening in Russia, parts of Europe, they are going through a fourth wave with vaccine. Let us not erase our short term memories so soon,” the minister said.

    Further, Scindia noted that a process is being followed and there has to be a dialogue with other ministries before reaching a decision on overseas flight operations.

    Domestic flights have been allowed to operate with full capacity in October.

    At the ‘Global Economic Policy Summit 2021 Rebuilding Economies’ organised by CII, Scindia also asserted that the civil aviation ministry wants to be a constructive collaborator and not a restrictive regulator.

    Regarding high ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) prices, Scindia said seven states have slashed their VAT (Value Added Tax) on the fuel and he was expecting more states to follow suit. With the current tax structure on ATF, “you cannot have a robust civil aviation sector. I am very clear on that,” he added.

    At another event in the evening, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said revenue from VAT is not much for states but “what you gain by bringing it down will be tremendous.

  • New dawn for Air India: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on airline’s sale to Tata Group

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Air India’s sale to the Tata Group marks a new dawn for the airline, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday as he hoped that the carrier would continue to bring people closer through successful operations.

    Earlier in the day, the government announced that Talace Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, has beaten a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh by offering Rs 18,000 crore to win the bid to acquire debt-laden Air India.

    “Air India’s return to the Tata group marks a new dawn for the airline! My best wishes to the new management, and congratulations to DIPAM Secretary and the Civil Aviation Ministry for successfully concluding the difficult task of paving a new runway for the airline to take off!” Scindia wrote on Twitter.

    ​ALSO READ | Will take considerable effort to rebuild Air India: Ratan Tata

    “I hope the airline will continue to deliver on its mission of bringing people closer through its successful operations,” he added.

    The Tata Group’s bid of Rs 18,000 crore comprises taking over of Rs 15,300 crore of debt and paying the rest in cash, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said at a press briefing on Friday.

    DIPAM is the government department responsible for privatisation.

    ALSO READ | Tata Sons wins the bid for acquiring national carrier Air India

    Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh also congratulated the Tata Group for winning the Air India bid.

    “Under new management, I sincerely hope that the Maharaja will continue to be an enduring Indian brand which stands for excellent quality.

    “Credit to the teams at the Civil Aviation Ministry and the DIPAM Secretary for their tireless efforts,” he wrote on Twitter.

    The Ajay Singh-led consortium’s bid stood at Rs 15,100 crore, comprising taking over debt of Rs 12,835 crore and paying the remaining amount of Rs 2,265 crore in cash.

  • Efforts being taken to start international flight services from Srinagar: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: International flight operations are likely to resume at the Srinagar airport as efforts are on to start services between here and Sharjah, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Saturday.

    He also said that the terminal at the Srinagar airport will be expanded from 25,000 square metre to 63,000 square metre.

    “The first international flight connection from Srinagar to Sharjah (in the United Arad Emirates) will be started soon. Efforts are on so that international travellers come directly to Srinagar. This will be a historic decision, not just for Jammu and Kashmir, but the whole country,” Scindia told reporters here.

    There will be an investment of Rs 1,500 crore at the Srinagar airport, while Rs 600 crore will be spent on the Jammu airport.

    “The Jammu airport will have a new 25,000 square metre terminal, adding to the existing one,” the Union minister said.

    The runway at the Jammu airport has been extended to 8,000 feet and there will be no load penalty on flights at the airport from October 1, he said.

    The minister said a new cargo terminal at the Srinagar airport, constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore, will be made functional on October 1.

    On the issue of landing operations at the airport here, he said the civil aviation ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir administration will hold discussions with the defence ministry for the installation of CAT-II ILS system for overcoming flight cancellations due to bad weather.

    Scindia also held a review meeting at the airport and then held an-hour-long discussion with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for strengthening the aviation infrastructure in the Union Territory.

    The minister said he has requested Sinha to consider reducing the VAT on aviation turbine fuel to one per cent which will help in attracting more airlines to Jammu and Kashmir.

    “It will be a boost for the tourism and development of Jammu and Kashmir as more flights will translate into more connectivity and more tourists, ” he said.

    Scindia said the lieutenant governor has also assured to transfer 122 acres of land needed for expansion of the Jammu airport to the Airport Authority of India by October 10.

    “On the same day, feasibility and design studies will be started,” he said.

    Scindia and Sinha also discussed ways of using helicopter services for promoting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir as it being done in states like Uttarakhand.

    On surging air ticket prices during the winter season, Scindia said he will have the alleged cartelisation investigated.

    “We will stop it if there is any cartelisation. Also, the best way to check this kind of practice is increasing the connectivity. We are taking steps in that direction,” he added.

  • Kozhikode plane crash probe report to be made public in next few days, says Jyotiraditya Scindia

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said the probe report on the plane crash at Kozhikode airport last year will be made public in the next couple of days.

    On August 7, 2020, a Boeing 737 plane coming from Dubai had overshot the runway at Kozhikode airport in Kerala and later broke into pieces.

    There were 190 people onboard the ill-fated aircraft and at least 20 people, including the two pilots, were killed and several others were injured.

    Addressing a press meet here, Scindia said the probe report has been submitted to the civil aviation ministry.

    The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probed the accident.

    “All I can tell you at this point of time is that in the next couple of days, that report is going to be released in the public domain. Whatever steps that have been advocated on the basis of that report, those steps will be and has to be executed.”

    “…..within the ministry, we will be also putting together a group of people that will be tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the steps that have been recommended in the report are put in place at the airport,” the minister said.

    Last month, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh told the Lok Sabha that final compensation offers have been made to all the next of kin of the deceased passengers, but none of the “next of kin has sent their acceptance as of date”.

    “Final compensation offers have been made to all the 165 injured passengers, out of which 73 passengers accepted the offer and have been paid a total amount of Rs 60.35 crore as the final settlement as of date,” he had said.

  • Jyotiraditya Scindia takes charge as Civil Aviation Minister 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday took charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry.

    Scindia, a prominent leader from Madhya Pradesh, was sworn in as a cabinet minister on Wednesday.

    He joined BJP in March 2020 and is a Rajya Sabha member.

    General V K Singh also took charge as the Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

    Scindia has taken over the charge of the ministry at a time when the civil aviation sector is facing strong headwinds due to the coronavirus pandemic which has impacted overall demand and has also resulted in financial woes for the industry players.

    The government is also moving ahead with the disinvestment process for the national carrier Air India.

    Scindia has served as a Minister of State for Communications, Commerce and Industry and power during the Congress-led UPA government.

    The scion of the former royal family of Gwalior was inducted into the UPA government in 2007 and remained a part of the Union Cabinet till 2014.

    He resigned from Congress and joined BJP in March 2020.

    His move triggered a chain of events that finally culminated in the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh and paved the way for the saffron party to assume power which it lost towards the end of 2018.

    Born on January 1, 1971, and educated in Harvard and Stanford institutions, Scindia has traversed a long way after contesting his maiden election as a Congress candidate in 2002, a bypoll in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, which was held because of the sudden death of his father, Madhavrao Scindia, in a plane crash.