AERA hikes Bangalore airport charges; IATA opposes the move

June 16, 2014

New Delhi, Jun 16: Airport tariff regulator AERA has fixed Rs 1,368 and Rs 342 per international and domestic passenger as user development fee (UDF) and other charges for Bangalore's Kempegowda airport but the airlines have opposed the ''over 100 per cent'' hike in tariff.Bangalore airport

In a latest order, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) also fixed charges for aircraft landing, parking, housing and other charges from July 1 till March 31 next year and higher tariff rates from April 1, 2015 till March end 2016.

While only UDF levels were lowered for 2015-16 to Rs1,226 for embarking international passengers and Rs 306 for domestic passengers, all the other tariffs were hiked for this period.

Terming the move as "a double whammy to Indian aviation", IATA's Regional Vice President (Asia Pacific) Conrad Clifford said in a statement that international airlines operating to Bangalore would now face "a steep increase in their operating costs with a 145 per cent increase in landing charges and a 105 per cent increase in parking charges".

The official of the global airlines body said it was also "disappointing" that AERA "deviated from the single till approach" in the case of Kempegowda International Airport which was "contrary to what AERA had previously opined that the single till approach was most appropriate for India".

"This deviation in policy can increase costs for airlines and passengers, thus negatively impacting traffic. This will hurt an already fragile Indian aviation industry," Clifford said, adding that funding airport development was "not a valid justification to deviate from the single till approach."

Under the 'single till' principle, airport activities, both aeronautical and commercial, are taken into consideration to determine the level of airport charges. By contrast, only aeronautical activities are taken into consideration under the dual till principle.

Maintaining that funding of the airport could be done through other means like equity, loans and bonds, Clifford said: "Instead, airport users are being penalised by being a convenient source of funding. They are unfairly made to pay for facilities that have yet to be built."

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been stressing that aviation should be treated as a strategic national asset that would pay dividends to the Indian economy.

Aviation supports 8.8 million Indian jobs and underpins 1.5 per cent of GDP, as per IATA figures.

"This could be a lot more. And the more globally connected that India is, the more opportunities will be created for jobs, trade and inward investment. AERA's decision is a step backwards for Indian aviation," the IATA officer said from Singapore.

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News Network
June 15,2020

New Delhi, Jun 15: Two officials working with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad have reportedly gone missing, sources said.

The two officials are untraceable for the last few hours.

Recently news agency reported on how Pakistan 's spy agency ISI has been tailing and harassing Indian officials and also increased their presence at the residence of Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia.

This incident came in the backdrop when two Pakistani officials were caught red-handed and sent back trying to collect classified information and spying in Delhi.

South block is watching the developments closely, the Indian mission has also launched a complaint with local authorities and taken up the matter Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

This incident can cause a further dip in the already tense India-Pakistan relations.

Earlier in the month, India deported two Pakistani officials for espionage activities in India.

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Agencies
March 15,2020

New Delhi, Mar 15: The new rules for debit and credit cards to increase security and reduce frauds kick in from Monday. In January, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had issued new rules to improve user convenience and increase the security of card transactions. These rules will help in curbing the misuse of debit and credit cards.

RBI has directed banks to allow only domestic card transactions at ATMs and PoS terminals in India at the time of issuance/reissuance of card. For international transactions, online transactions, card-not-present transactions and contactless transactions, customers will have to separately set up services on their card.

These rules will be applicable for new cards from March 16. Those with old cards can decide whether to disable any of these features.

As per the existing rules, these services used to come automatically with the card, but now it will start at the request of the customer.

Debit or credit card customers who have not yet done any online transaction, contactless transaction or international transaction with the card, then these services on the card will automatically stop from March 16.

The Reserve Bank has asked all banks to provide mobile banking, net banking option to enable limit and enable and disable service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If the customer makes any change in the status of the card, the bank will alert the customer through SMS/email and send the information.

Issuers shall provide to all cardholders facility to switch on/off and set/modify transaction limits (within the overall card limit, if any, set by the issuer) for all types of transactions -- domestic and international, at PoS/ATMs/online transactions/contactless transactions, etc.,

The provisions, however, are not mandatory for prepaid gift cards and those used at mass transit systems.

The latest instructions come in the wake of rising instances of cyber frauds and the huge increase in the use of cards.

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Agencies
May 31,2020

New Delhi, May 31: Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday questioned the Prime Minister on how much money has been given to labourers from the PM-CARES Fund.

"I would like to ask Prime Minister Modi, 'Can you tell us how much money did you give to labourers from your PM-CARES Fund?' I request him to answer this question. Many people died during this period, some died while walking, some died in the train, some died of hunger," Sibal said while addressing a virtual press conference.

The senior Congress leader further asked how much ex gratia did the Prime Minister give to the labourers who died in the corona crisis while negotiating the lockdown.

"I refer you to Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act. It says that ex gratia assistance on account of the loss of life and also assistance for the restoration of livelihood should be provided by the government. Did the government give ex gratia assistance to people who died in the crisis? The act also mentions special provisions for widows and orphans. The government should clarify how much assistance they gave to such people," he said.

Sibal said that the government should keep aside its agenda for the last six years and concentrate on making pro-poor policies.

"In the coming days, our economy is going to go into the negative territory as also confirmed by RBI. There are 45 crore labourers in our country. What will be their state? We have to look at our future. That is why we want to request the government that the agenda that they have run over the last six years should be kept aside and that government should care about the poor and draft policies for them," the Congress leader said.

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