The Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has brought into focus a Parliament committee report presented in March that flagged discrepancies in funding for accident investigations and aviation security.

With India being the third-largest aviation market globally, the report said budgetary allocation of Rs 35 crore for security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities was insufficient.

REPORT RAISED POOR FUNDING TO AAIB, BCAS

The Department-related Parliament Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport and Culture’s report, presented in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025, raised disproportionate budget allocations to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated Rs 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, AAIB and BCAS received only Rs 20 crore and Rs 15 crore respectively.

The AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad incident, where a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the campus of a medical college and burst into flames.

All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the flight (AI 171) and another 29 people, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed.

The committee observed that in view of a multifold increase in airports in India, and passenger surge, more funds need to be allocated to the AAIB and BCAS.

“The capital outlay for BE 2025-26 has a distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies,” the report said.

The report said the allocation to the DGCA, which commands the largest share of Rs 30 crore – nearly half of the total budget – must be carefully examined to ensure “efficiency and accountability”. The DGCA is entrusted with regulatory oversight and ensures compliance of airlines with aviation standards.

The report stated that while regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of infrastructure – with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-255 – necessitates proportional growth in security capabilities and accident investigation resources.

“It is imperative to assess whether these funds are adequate to strengthen security infrastructure and enhance investigative capabilities. As aviation expands to Tier Il and III cities under the modified UDAN scheme, security infrastructure and capabilities must be extended proportionally,” the report further said.

KEY BODIES UNDERSTAFFED

The panel also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

As per the 375th report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, more than 53% of positions are vacant in the DGCA, 35% in the BCAS, and 17% in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure.