3 - Ministry of Civil Aviation

permission to operate the helipads. State Government officials posted in the districts such aspolice, civil defence, fire service and PWD officials could be given basic training in safetyaspects so that they could provide the services as and when helicopter operations take place. Inthe long run, helicopter operations in places other than airports and licensed heliports shouldbe confined to only these helipads, which conform to safety requirements. A manual ofinstructions should be available in each district.5.7 Cargo OperationsGrowth of 'exports can be boosted if constraints on air cargo movement are addressed.Emerging opportunities for exports of food-stuffs and perishable goods have not been exploitedmainly because of the weakness in the system of cargo-handling at airports. The cost andquality advantage of Indian' goods for export purpose is often lost due to problems intransportation. It has been forcefully argued before us that the national carrier, Air India,seems to regard freight movement as a mere adjunct to passenger operations. Freightmovement by rail or road is not only time-consuming, but also largely unreliable in meetingdelivery schedules. Sufficient attention' has not been given to development of cargo hubs.Efforts of the Commerce Ministry in developing a cold chain for perishable commodities havenot delivered much. Many importers abroad have also attempted to' reduce inventory costs byasking Indian exporters to airfreight the goods to points of sale like Departmental Stores.In the long-term interest of cargo traffic, all major airports should be asked to improvetheir systems of cargo handling. Though some initiatives have been taken to expedite clearanceof goods of exports from customs points of view, exporters are still unhappy about the lengthyforms that have to be filled and the associated cumbersome procedures. It is essential to set upa Standing Committee at each airport consisting of Airport Director, airline representatives,cargo operators, customs officials and exporters to discuss and solve cargo-related problems.The Department of Commerce should also monitor this activity.A suggestion has been made by concerned quarters that an exclusive "Air Cargo Hub"would help mitigate the grievances of the exporter community. But, given the size of thecountry and the geographical distribution of import and export cargo, it is doubtful whethersuch an exclusive hub would be of great use. The requirement today is for greater focus oncargo traffic by all agencies concerned, streamlining of procedures and reduction of costs, ateach export point.5.8•Export of Indigenous Aeronautical Products5.8.1 Aeronautical Products in IndiaIndia has a long history of manufacturing aeronautical products such as aircraft,helicopters and aircraft parts. For example, the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL),Bangalore has designed, developed and produced one of the world's best light trainer aircraft,HANSA. The NAL is currently engaged in the development of a 15-seater multi-role aircraft.Similarly, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore has developed a civil version oftheir Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and is looking at markets abroad. Aerospace Systems32