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Mint
9 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Air India Crash: Parliament panel had flagged 'discrepancy' in aviation funding, months before Ahmedabad tragedy
Air India Crash: A parliamentary standing committee report flagged a 'distinct imbalance' and 'discrepancy' in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies in March, about three months before the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The panel observed that the 'discrepancy' raised important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended the adoption of performance-based budgeting for aviation regulatory bodies, linking allocations to specific performance indicators. 'The Committee observes that the Capital Outlay for BE 2025 distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), entrusted with regulatory oversight, commands the largest share of ₹ 30 Crore, nearly half of the total budget,' reads the report by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. Air India Plane Crash: The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex. 'While its role in ensuring compliance with aviation standards is indisputable, the justification for such a significant allocation must be carefully examined to ensure efficiency and accountability,' the report reads. Air India Plane Crash: According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹15 crore According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore. The AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash. 'In contrast, the BCAS and AAIB receive ₹ 15 Crore and ₹ 20 Crore, respectively. While regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure, with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-25, necessitates proportional growth of security capabilities and accident investigation resources. In view of the growing complexity of aviation security threats and the critical nature of accident investigations, the Committee finds these allocations relatively modest,' the report reads. The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on 25 March 2025. Apart from Jha (Chairman), the other members of the panel included M Mohamed Abdulla, M Nadimul Haque, Jaggesh, Sudha Murty, Imran Pratapgarhi from the Rajya Sabha and Mina Altaf Ahmad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Manoj Tiwari, and KC Venugopal from the Lok Sabha, to name a few. The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended that aviation regulatory bodies adopt performance-based budgeting, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'This approach would enhance accountability and ensure that funds are utilised efficiently to address the most pressing challenges within each domain. Regular performance audits should be conducted to assess the effectiveness of allocated resources and inform future budgeting decisions," it said. Air India Plane Crash: The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The discrepancy raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel, as reported by LiveMint earlier, also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Mint
11 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Air India Plane Crash: Parliament panel had flagged 'discrepancy' in aviation funding, months before Ahmedabad tragedy
Air India Plane Crash: A parliamentary standing committee report flagged a 'distinct imbalance' and 'discrepancy' in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies in March, about three months before the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The panel observed that the discrepancy raised important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended the adoption of performance-based budgeting for aviation regulatory bodies, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'The Committee observes that the Capital Outlay for BE 2025 distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), entrusted with regulatory oversight, commands the largest share of ₹ 30 Crore, nearly half of the total budget,' reads the report by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. Air India Plane Crash: The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex. 'While its role in ensuring compliance with aviation standards is indisputable, the justification for such a significant allocation must be carefully examined to ensure efficiency and accountability,' the report reads. Air Indai Plane Crash: According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore. The AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash. 'In contrast, the BCAS and AAIB receive ₹ 15 Crore and ₹ 20 Crore, respectively. While regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure – with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-25 – necessitates proportional growth of security capabilities and accident investigation resources. In view of the growing complexity of aviation security threats and the critical nature of accident investigations, the Committee finds these allocations relatively modest," the report reads. The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. Apart from Jha (Chairman), the other members of the panel included M Mohamed Abdulla, M Nadimul Haque, Jaggesh, Sudha Murty, Imran Pratapgarhi from the Rajya Sabha and Mina Altaf Ahmad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Manoj Tiwari, KC Venugopal from the Lok Sabha to name a few. The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended that aviation regulatory bodies adopt performance-based budgeting, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'This approach would enhance accountability and ensure that funds are utilised efficiently to address the most pressing challenges within each domain. Regular performance audits should be conducted to assess the effectiveness of allocated resources and inform future budgeting decisions," it said. Air India Plane Crash: The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The discrepancy raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel, as reported by LiveMint earlier, also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). More than 53 per cent of positions are vacant in the DGCA, 35 per cent in the BCAS, and 17 per cent in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure, according to the 375th report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
‘Chronic' understaffing in DGCA, BCAS, AAI aviation bodies: Parliament panel report as Air India crash probe continues
Air India Plane Crash: The probe into Boeing 787-8, operating as Air India 171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 killing 241 onboard, is underway. The investigators have found the second black box, and the official reason so far remains known. Three months prior to the tragedy, a parliamentary panel report flagged 'chronic' staff shortage in aviation institutions like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Airport Authority of India (AAI). It highlighted their ability to implement safety, security and operational standards. The report was presented in Rajya Sabha and laid on the table of Lok Sabha on 25 March, 2025. A senior JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha headed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. The DGCA is responsible for ensuring the safety and efficiency of air travel by overseeing aircraft certification, pilot and crew licensing, airline operations, flight school approvals, and enforcing aviation rules in line with international standards. The DGCA has a vacancy rate surpassing 53 percent, 'raising fundamental concerns about its capacity to enforce aviation safety standards effectively'. It has a sanctioned strength of 1633 personnel, out of which 754 are in position and 879 are vacant. The regulatory authority is responsible for laying down and enforcing aviation security standards at all civil airports and airports served by scheduled airlines in India. The BCAS ensures security against unlawful interference such as hijacking, sabotage, and terrorism. The BCAS had approximately 35 percent of its sanctioned posts unfilled, 'posing risks to the robustness of security oversight at airports'. It had a sanctioned strength of 598 personnel, of which 390 were in position, while 208 remained vacant. Following it, BCAS issued an advertisement for 98 vacancies on April 3. The AAI is a government agency under the Ministry of Civil Aviation responsible for developing, operating, and maintaining civil airports across India and provides air navigation services, including air traffic control, to ensure safe and efficient aircraft movement in Indian airspace. AAI plays a key role in expanding airport infrastructure and promoting regional connectivity. Parliament panel report It saw more than 3,200 vacancies, approximately 17 percent of its sanctioned strength, 'potentially impacting operational efficiency and airport expansion'. AAI had sanctioned strength of 19269 personnel, of which 16004 are filled, while 3265 vacant. Later, on April 4, it issued an advertisement for 309 posts for Junior Executive (Air Traffic Control). "The Committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise. The Committee urges the Ministry of Civil Aviation to expedite the recruitment process to fill vacancies across DGCA, BCAS, and AAI, ensuring that regulatory oversight, security enforcement, and airport operations are not compromised," the panel report had said. It added, 'Given the rapid expansion of air traffic and aviation infrastructure, the Ministry must adopt a long-term workforce planning strategy to ensure staffing levels remain to meet operational demands.' Livemint tried reaching out to MP Jha but calls and messages went unanswered. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also flagged the shortage of staff in the DGCA. 'The Modi government's negligence in not giving priority to safety in the aviation sector is worrying. It is evident from media reports that there is a huge shortage of officers and personnel in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI),' he said in a post on X. 'How will safe flights be ensured when key departments dealing with aviation safety, inspection, regulation and operations are working at less than half their staff? We are waiting for the investigation report on the air crash in Ahmedabad, but the lack of action despite the parliamentary committee report is a serious matter. We demand the government to clarify the situation and take necessary steps on this,' he asked.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Ahmedabad Crash: Transport Committee May Discuss Air Safety Concerns, Likely To Summon Airlines
Last Updated: Representatives from airlines, Airports Authority of India & CISF may be asked to depose before the panel, apart from companies running helicopter services in religious locations Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture are likely to raise broader concerns surrounding air safety in light of the Ahmedabad flight crash and the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath. Several members have already urged committee chairperson Sanjay Jha to prioritise the issue. It is learnt that the Jha-led panel will formally decide to take up this matter of urgent public concern and seek that the Ministry of Civil Aviation officials, BCAS and the DGCA appear before it. The committee is aware of the ongoing investigation in the Air India crash case and therefore, would not think it wise to single out this case, the sources said. Representatives from various airlines, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and CISF are expected to be asked to depose before the panel. The companies running helicopter services in various religious locations like Mata Vaishnav Devi and Kedarnath are also expected to be present before the committee. 'The recent crash has been very disturbing and with all kind of theories floating, we want to understand what the SOP really is in such cases and what are technicalities and technical challenges, role of the pilot etc," a source said. The committee also has BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy as its member. Rudy has been the former civil aviation minister in the Vajpayee government and is also a commercial pilot. Even after the Ahmedabad crash, a series of technical snags was reported onboard the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft over the last 48 hours, leading to several questions about the safety of passengers. Meanwhile, after the Kedarnath crash on Sunday, operations of Aryan Aviation for the Char Dham Yatra were suspended with immediate effect. Two helicopters belonging to M/s TransBharat Aviation—VT-TBC (PIC: Capt. Yogesh Grewal, CPL(H)-1453) and VT-TBF (PIC: Capt. Jitender Harjai, CPL(H)-1046)—were found to have been airborne under similar unsuitable weather conditions. Accordingly, the licenses of both pilots have been suspended for six months. A high-level enquiry has also been ordered both in the case of the Ahmedabad crash and the Uttarakhand crash. Apart from this, the Centre also set up a high-level committee led by the home secretary on cases like the Ahmedabad crash. First Published: June 17, 2025, 09:28 IST
The Print
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Tejashwi flips the script on NDA's charge of dynasty politics, advises Nitish to ‘form damad aayog'
Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has launched a scathing attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of practising the very 'dynasty politics' that the JD(U) chief publicly condemns. Three sons-in-law of Union and state ministers, the wife of the principal secretary to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and both daughters of Janata Dal (United) working president Sanjay Jha are among the government appointees who have raised eyebrows. New Delhi: Dynasty politics has again taken center stage in Bihar's pre-poll battleground after the appointments of several relatives of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders to key government positions and commissions. The issue has triggered a fierce exchange between the ruling party and the Opposition in the state, threatening to overshadow the upcoming assembly elections later this year. Taking a dig at Nitish, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has called for the formation of a 'permanent damad aayog (commission for sons-in-law)', alleging that family ties, not merit, have driven the latest appointments. Tejashwi also cited a Ministry of Law and Justice order dated 9 October 2024 to highlight the appointments of Adya and Satya Jha, the daughters of Sanjay Jha, as Supreme Court Group A legal counsels—roles typically reserved for senior advocates—for a three-year term. 'Normally, very senior legal professionals, with more than twenty years of experience, are appointed. But, JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha has used his position to place his daughters on the panel,' Tejashwi Yadav told the media. 'Nitish Kumar has not promoted honest leaders and workers for appointments in different commissions,' the RJD leader added, calling out the hypocrisy of JD(U), which has, over the years, repeatedly criticised the Lalu family and RJD for dynastic politics. The family of Sanjay Jha has become the latest to get embroiled in the ongoing row over 'dynasty politics'. Tejashwi Yadav has also taken jabs at Nitish Kumar for appointing the son-in-law of Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi as SC Commission vice-chairman, son-in-law of the late Ram Vilas Paswan as SC Commission chairperson, son-in-law of Cabinet Minister Ashok Choudhary as a member of Dharmik Nyas Board, and the principal secretary's wife to the Bihar State Women Commission. Also Read: Playing with Indians' blood will cost Pakistan, sindoor boils in my veins—Modi's 1st rally post Op Sindoor Dynasties & appointments Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appointed Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's son-in-law, Devendra Manjhi, as vice-chairperson of the SC Commission. He has previously served as the general secretary of Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and unsuccessfully contested the 2020 assembly election from Bihar's Makhdumpur. Among Manjhi's seven sons and daughters, others are also active in politics—one son, Santosh Suman, serves as a minister in the Bihar government, his daughter-in-law Deepa Suman is the Imamganj MLA, and her mother, Jyoti Devi, is the Barachatti MLA. Devendra Manjhi first came into the news in 2014 when Jitan Ram Manjhi, then Chief Minister of Bihar, appointed him as his private assistant and another relative, Satendra Kumar, as a clerk. The Nitish Kumar government has also appointed Union Minister Chirag Paswan's brother-in-law—Mrinal Paswan—as the chairman of the Bihar SC Commission. Mrinal, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) general secretary, unsuccessfully contested the 2020 assembly election from Raja Pakar in Vaishali. Mrinal Paswan is married to one of the daughters of the late Ram Vilas Paswan with his first wife, Rajkumari Devi. Chirag Paswan, on the other hand, is the son of the Lok Janshakti Party founder with his first wife, Reena Sharma. Rajkumari Devi came into the news cycle this year after she alleged humiliation by Shobha Devi, the wife of ex-minister and Ram Vilas Paswan's younger brother, Pashupati Kumar Paras, over a property dispute. The last of the three sons-in-law embroiled in the 'dynasty politics' controversy is Saayan Kunal, whom the Nitish government appointed as a member of the Dharmik Nyas Board, constituted last week. Nitish Cabinet Minister Ashok Choudhary's son-in-law Saayan Kunal was born to the late IPS officer Kishore Kunal. His wife, Shambhavi Choudhary, became a Lok Sabha MP on an LJP ticket from Samastipur in the 2024 general elections. The late Kishore Kunal, on his retirement from the police service, was instrumental in establishing the Mahavir Cancer Hospital and the Mahavir Hanuman Temple in Patna. Incidentally, all three leaders, whose sons-in-law the Nitish government has appointed to one or the other government berth, hailed from the Dalit community and feature among the prominent Dalit leaders in Bihar. The appointment of Rashmi Rekha Sinha, Nitish's Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar's wife, as a member of the Bihar State Women Commission was not made public in the 7 June commission notification, which named seven other members, their husbands, and their addresses. When the Bihar government appointed Rashmi Rekha Sinha, the name of her father, but not her husband, appeared in the notification. Her address was also not disclosed in what seemed to be a move to hide her relationship with the principal secretary. Earlier, the RJD alleged that retired bureaucrat Deepak Kumar was running Bihar. According to Buxar RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, the Nitish government sanctioned Rs 25 crore to the private company owned by Deepak's daughter Isha Verma. Last month, Sudhakar Singh claimed that the Rs 25 crore announced under the Bihar Green Development Fund in the 2024-25 Bihar Budget was to directly benefit her company, Bodhi Centre for Sustainable Growth Private Limited, established only a couple of months before the allocation. The company now has the responsibility to implement green development in the state. JD(U) response RJD, the principal opposition party, has raised questions about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with Tejashwi Yadav saying, 'The chief minister has no control over his administration, and retired officers are ruling the state … It is ironic that the Chief Minister did not find any workers in his party who could become chairpersons and members of commissions.' 'The chief minister should disclose how many family members he has accommodated in government bodies in the last few years,' he added. Speaking to ThePrint, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, 'Nitish Kumar claims he does not promote dynasty politics—his main poll plank. Yet, he has adjusted all the 'damads' and even the wife of his principal secretary as board members. Now, he has no plank left. Officers are looting the state and adjusting their family in key positions pre-poll, knowing they will not come into power again.' Responding to the RJD charges, Ashok Choudhary defended the appointment of Mrinal Paswan to the SC commission while attacking Tejashwi Yadav, saying he became Bihar's deputy CM without educational qualifications. 'Let me remind him, Mrinal ji (Mrinal Paswan) has been active in politics and contesting elections since the time Tejashwi ji was still roaming around in half-pants. It is a different matter that he did not win, but he remained politically active. Back then, Tejashwi had no understanding of politics. Even today, we know little about his education. Yet, he became the deputy chief minister,' Choudhary said. JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Singh told ThePrint, 'It was RJD leader Lalu Prasad who promoted his wife as chief minister, both sons as ministers, and daughter as MP. Their only credentials were that they were his wife and children. Nitish has never promoted dynasty politics in his entire life. The current appointees have, for long, been active in politics and are not comparable with the Lalu family.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Family matters in Bihar's Dalit politics—Manjhis to Paswans, how kin are rising up the ladder
