In what might help India regain its higher safety ranking from the US’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Union cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the Bill for replacing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with a financially autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

A senior official in the ministry said on Thursday, “The standing committee (of Parliament) on transport had recommended certain amendments to the CAA Bill. Some of these were approved by the cabinet yesterday. The Bill would now be tabled in Parliament. The CAA would be financially independent and, to a large extent, help address the issues raised about India’s safety oversight mechanism by the FAA.”

The amendments as approved include appointing a part-time chairperson in the proposed authority. The role would be supervisory; he would preside over board meetings but operational matters would be dealt by the chief executive. Earlier, the Bill had said the chairperson would be appointed for a fixed term of five years.

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