A bill which seeks to amend the law governing the airports economic regulator was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Amendment Bill, 2021 proposes to tweak the definition of major airport so as to extend its scope to determine the tariff for a group of airports.
New Delhi:
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 proposes to tweak the definition of ''major airport'' so as to extend its scope to determine the tariff for a group of airports. The move, the government believes, will encourage development of smaller airports.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India has been determining the tariffs of aeronautical charges at major airports in the country.
Under the present Act, a ''major airport'' has been defined to mean any airport which has, or is designated to have, annual passengers in excess of 35 lakh. However, it does not provide for determination of tariff for a group of airports.
Developing more number of airports through public-private partnership mode would expand air connectivity to relatively remote and far-flung areas.
Therefore, the government has decided to club or pair airports having profitable and non-profitable airports which could be offered in public-private partnership mode as a package to the prospective bidders, according to the bill piloted by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
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