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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Air India bookings down 20%; fares dip up to 15% after Dreamliner crash
Bookings for Air India flights have declined by around 20 per cent on domestic as well as international routes while the average fares have dropped by 8-15 per cent in the aftermath of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash last week, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) President Ravi Gosain said on Friday. An Air India spokesperson did not respond to a query seeking comments from the airline. A London-bound Air India flight, AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in Meghaninagar area of the city shortly after takeoff. "Following the unfortunate incident involving Air India, we have observed a temporary decline in bookings, particularly on international sectors. While the exact percentage varies by route, our estimates indicate a dip of around 1822 per cent on international bookings and a 1012 per cent decline domestically in the immediate aftermath. However, this appears to be a short-term sentiment-driven reaction, as confidence typically stabilizes over time," Gosain told PTI. The IATO president shared that there has been a moderate adjustment in fares across key Air India routes. "On an average, ticket prices have reduced by 812 per cent on domestic sectors where the airline competes directly with low cost carriers like IndiGo and Akasa. On international routes, especially to Europe and Southeast Asia, fares have seen a drop of 1015 per cent, depending on route occupancy and competition. These reductions are mix of promotional strategies and yield correction due to lowered demand," Gosain said. Asked whether there have been cancellations by travellers for Air India flights booked via tour operators, the IATO president said, "Yes, we have witnessed a noticeable rise in cancellations, particularly from corporate and high-end leisure travellers who prefer to switch to alternative carriers". He informed that the increase in cancellations was 1518 per cent internationally, and 810 per cent domestically over the past week. However, this trend may normalize in the coming days as no systemic safety issue has been reported and authorities like DGCA reaffirm Air India's compliance with international safety standards. Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) General Secretary Rajiv Mehra also shared that an up to 20 per cent decline in bookings has been observed for Air India flights while the fares have turned cheaper by about 10 per cent on certain sectors where there is high competition with other carriers. "As far as Air India is concerned, fares are around 10 per cent cheaper for both domestic and international routes than other airlines on certain sectors. Besides, there is a 15-20 per cent decline in new bookings for Air India flights on domestic as well as international routes after the crash," Mehra said. He asserted that all airlines have to pull up their socks as far as aircraft maintenance is concerned, to ensure passengers.
Fibre2Fashion
an hour ago
- Fibre2Fashion
Drewry WCI falls 7.45%, after six weeks of gains
The Drewry World Container Index (WCI)—a composite measure of container freight rates—dropped for the first time in over a month, falling 7.45 per cent to $3,279 per 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU) on June 19, down from $3,543 per FEU the previous week. The index declined after six consecutive weeks of gains, mainly due to low demand for US-bound cargo. This suggests that the recent surge in US imports, triggered by the temporary halt of higher US tariffs, is unlikely to have the lasting impact initially anticipated. Drewry WCI fell 7.45 per cent to $3,279 per FEU on June 19, its 1st decline in over a month, due to weaker US-bound demand. Despite recent drops, spot rates remain significantly higher than six weeks ago. Drewry forecasts softening in the supply-demand balance in the second half of 2025, with rate volatility likely influenced by legal challenges to tariffs and new US penalties on Chinese vessels. Freight rates from Shanghai to New York fell 10 per cent to $6,584 per 40-foot container over the past week. However, spot rates remain significantly higher—up 81 per cent compared to six weeks ago (May 8). Rates to Los Angeles dropped 20 per cent this week but have risen 73 per cent over the same six-week period. Meanwhile, freight rates increased from Shanghai to Rotterdam by 12 per cent to $3,171, and from Shanghai to Genoa by 1 per cent to $4,075 per 40-foot container. However, Drewry's Container Forecaster expects the supply-demand balance to weaken again in the second half of the current year, likely causing spot rates to decline. The volatility and timing of rate changes will depend on the outcomes of legal challenges to Trump's tariffs and on capacity shifts related to the introduction of US penalties on Chinese ships—factors that remain uncertain. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Air India Cabin Crew Sacking: Aviation Industry Employees Body Demands CBI Probe
New Delhi: The Aviation Industry Employees' Guild (AIEG) general secretary, George Abraham, on Friday demanded a CBI probe into the sacking of two cabin crew members by Air India for reporting a technical fault in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. He said that they have demanded a CBI probe into the sacking of two cabin crew members, as their sacking, by pressuring them to change their statements after reporting a technical fault in the Dreamliner 787 aircraft, is a very serious matter. 'This poses a threat to the safety of the aviation sector. We have also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a fair probe into the matter,' Abraham said. He further stated that on May 14, 2024, after the Air India flight from Mumbai to London reached its destination, the slide rafts opened in manual mode due to a technical fault in the door of the aircraft. According to Abraham, the slide rafts are activated only when the plane is in automatic mode. The pilot and the entire cabin crew had also admitted the technical fault in the plane in their initial statements, but due to alleged pressure from the airline's management, the statement was later changed. Abraham said that to suppress the technical fault in the plane, the Air India management allegedly pressured these people to change their statement and when they refused, both these crew members were fired from their jobs. Abraham further said that due to the seriousness of the matter, both these crew complained about the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the regulator called them to Delhi and heard the whole matter and talked about conducting an 'informal investigation'. However, eight months have passed, but no result of the 'informal investigation' has come out, he mentioned. According to Abraham, after the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, the attention of the government and the people is back on this issue. 'This is why, we have raised it once again and written a letter to PM Modi. We hope that this investigation will be expedited,' said Abraham.
