Air sports in the country to have an oversight body
- The Minister for Civil Aviation, unveiled the National Air Sports Policy.
Structure:
- For the first time in India, air sports such as paragliding or hot-air ballooning will come under a four-tier governance structure.
- Four-tier structure: The ASFI at the top, followed by national associations for individual sports and their regional and district-level units.
- Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) as the apex body which will oversee aspects such as regulation, certification, accidents and penalties.
Significance of National Air Sports Policy:
- Air sports industry in India:
- Worth ₹80-100 crore at present,
- Employment generation- with nearly 5,000 providers, which could grow 10 times in terms of revenue and yield 1 lakh direct jobs apart from a multiplier impact on the economy.
- Ability to transform into a huge industry.
- Sports that will come within its ambit are aeromodelling, model rocketry, amateur-built and experimental aircraft, ballooning, drones, gliding, powered gliding, parachuting, paramotoring, powered aircraft and rotorcraft.
About ASFI:
- The ASFI will be an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)
- Represent India at global platforms
- It will be chaired by the Secretary, MoCA, who will nominate up to three eminent experts related to air sports as members of the ASFI governing council.
- Initially, these bodies will receive financial support from MoCA.
- The government will also look at various incentives to encourage the sport such as reducing the GST on air sports equipment from 18%-28% to 5% or less.
Prelims Takeaway:
- National Air Sports Policy
- ASFI