Civil Aviation Ministry gets 22% more budgetary funds for 2017-18

NEW DELHI: The Civil Aviation Ministry today received a substantial increase of over 22 per cent in budgetary allocation at Rs 5,167.60 crore for the next financial year.

In the Union Budget 2017-18, presented by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament today, out of the ministry's total allocation, a good chunk will be for Air India, which is to get Rs 1,800 crore.

The amount will be extended to the national carrier as part of the bailout package announced by the then UPA government in 2012.


Besides, the airline will be given Rs 508 crore as part of investment in public enterprises.

National airports operator AAI (Airports Authority of India) has been allocated Rs 2,543 crore, apart from a budgetary support of Rs 100 crore.

Meanwhile, the budgetary funds for aviation watchdog DGCA has been stepped up significantly to Rs 230.56 crore for 2017- 18. The amount is at Rs 29.67 crore for the current fiscal.

Significantly, UN aviation watchdog, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is scheduled to audit India's air safety preparedness in the second half of this year.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the country's apex aviation safety agency, has been allocated Rs 214.50 crore in the latest Budget.