Civil Aviation industry plays a significant role in the growth and development of Indian economy. It offers saving in time that cannot be match by surface transport over long distances. Air transport helps to optimize technological, managerial and administrative skills in a resource scarce economy. The real progress in civil aviation started in 1920 when the government constructed a few aerodromes. The civil aviation started in 1920 when the government constructed a few aerodromes. The civil aviation department was set up in 1927 and numbers of flying club were founded. The progress was very slow. It was during the Second World War and later that considerable progress was achieved. More airplanes were purchased, new services were started and their frequency increased. In 1946, the government of India laid down its aviation policy to encouragement and development of internal and external transport services through a limited number of sound and reliable private commercial concerns with necessary government help. In 1946, the government set up the Air Transport License Board which gave 11 licenses. This created overcrowding in air transport and inflicted heavy losses in the companies.
In 1950, the Air Transport Enquiry Committee known as Rajadhyaksha Committee was appointed. The committee recommended the integration of all of all companies into four companies so that remove cut throat competition and secure scientific and zonal distribution of work. But since the private companies did not voluntarily integrate, the government had to nationalize civil aviation on three grounds: Nationalization would raise operational efficiency. (B) It would result as better organization in civil aviation and enable the government to get trained technicians, pilots, etc. (C) It would reduce duplication of services, wastage of flying hours and thus would reduce costs and losses.
In 1953, the parliament passed the Air Transport Corporation Act under which the Indian Airlines Corporation was to run internal services and Air India International was to run external services. Since nationalization, improvements in all directions have taken place. New aerodromes have been constricted. Both internal and external services have extended. There are a number of agencies which are providing civil aviation services in India. While Air India, Indian Airlines and Vayudoot provide air services, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya and Development, Flying Training School – Gondia, Maharashtra, National Institute of Aviation Management and Research and Airports Authority of India are provided infrastructural facilities in India.
KEYWORDS: AAI, DGCA, IGRUA, AI, IA, Civil Aviation.
Introduction Ministry of Civil Aviation is located in Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan at the Safdarjung airport complex in New Delhi. The ministry is responsible for the formulation of national policies and programmes for the development and regulation of civil aviation and for devising and implementing schemes for orderly growth and expansion of civil air transport. Its functions also extend to overseas the provision of airport facilities, air traffic services and carriage of passengers and goods by air, safeguarding civil aviation operations, regulations of air transport services, licensing of aerodromes, air carriers, pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers. The following chart shows the organizational structure of Ministry of Civil Aviation:
