In a significant move, the Civil Aviation ministry has put its stamp of approval on the long-standing suggestion to license Air Traffic Controllers. The ministry has moved a cabinet note seeking an amendment in the Aircraft Act, 1934, for the same.

The proposal, slated to come up in Thursday’s cabinet meeting, has suggestions for greater government control on key aviation services by giving more teeth to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Through the proposed amendment, the Civil Ministry is looking to arm DGCA with powers to not only control the standards at the airports but also the CNS (communication, navigation and surveillance) and ATM (air traffic management) systems.

These are presently handled by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

If the proposed amendment goes through, DGCA will have the power to not only licence ATCs but also certify, inspect, and regulate CNS and ATM systems.

The government’s justification behind the proposed move is that of a need to have greater control over the technical and communication-related aspects of airports to ensure better air-safety.

The proposal further seeks to give DGCA a role dealing with civil aviation ‘‘security’’ and not just ‘‘safety’’. Simply put, the government is looking for a greater role for DGCA in dealing with situations like hijackings. Through the amendment, the ministry also wants a clear-cut distinction between an ‘‘accident’’ and ‘‘incident’’ in accordance with international guidelines.