NEW DELHI: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the Aviation Ministry was keen on maintaining reasonable airfare prices, but it was proving to be a challenging task due to unstable Aviation Turbine Fuel prices.
Responding to queries from newspersons after taking part in the 42nd Foundation Day celebrations of Pawan Hans Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Civil Aviation Ministry, Naidu said reasonable fare pricing also needed support from the OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies). "The airlines also have to come up with a different plan. So, the Ministry is trying to facilitate the conversation between the stakeholders," he said. Reasonable pricing was particularly needed in light of the festive season extending till January, he added.
To a query on power banks causing fires inside aircraft and possible action that could be taken, the Minister said, "The DGCA has to come up with some rules on it. Some more technical evaluation is needed."
Responding to a query on fractional ownership of aircraft, the Minister said, "We are in discussion with the stakeholders for it, and the Finance Ministry is also strongly involved in it. We want to see more planes in our fleet because the demand for them is high today, and we do not have the necessary number of planes. So, if fractional ownership and leasing operations help us get more planes, then definitely we will support this idea," he added.
In his talk earlier, Naidu said the country presently had 250 civilian helicopters, but the requirement was for more than 1,000 helicopters. “Under the Modified Udan Scheme, a total of 200 modernised helipads will be built within the next ten years at a cost of Rs 3,661 crore,” he said.
Pawan Hans has already taken delivery of four Dhruv-NG helicopters for its fleet, and six more will join them. “They are built with the indigenous Shakti engine manufactured in India,” he said.
Naidu called upon Pawan Hans to develop a ‘time-bound fleet renewal plan’. He urged the company to branch out into different areas too. “Globally, the usage of helicopters for emergency medical services stands at 18%. In India, we are only having a 1% utilisation of them,” he said. The transportation of organs was another segment where there was enormous potential for helicopters. “India’s geographical beauty makes the aerial sightseeing segment very prominent.”
He also asked Pawan Hans to reach out to different state governments to fulfil their requirements. Helicopter aviation must be given priority as a career option, and schools and youth must be reached out to in this connection, he added.
Lauding the achievements of the company, he said Pawan Hans started with two helicopters on November 1, 1985. “It has now transported 1.35 crore passengers,” he said.