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• The Civil Aviation Ministry has strongly objected to the Consumer Affairs Ministry’s view that airport regulator AERA should credit Rs 1,500 crore collected by Delhi airport operator DIAL to the Consumer Welfare Fund.The collection of development fee (DF) at the Delhi airport from December 1, 2011, is already embroiled in a controversy as the legality of the AERA decision to allow it has been challenged by lawmakers in Parliament.“The suggestion made by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is against the Airport Authority of India and Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) and goes against the spirit of the judgement of the Supreme Court,” Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi said in a letter to the Consumer Affairs Ministry.
• On December 8 last year, the Consumer Affairs Ministry had recommended that the AERA credit DF already collected to the Consumer Welfare Fund (CWF).Regarding the collection of DF, the Supreme Court held it was necessary to ensure that the DF levied and collected is utilised only for funding or financing the cost of upgradation, expansion or development of airports, Zaidi said.The AERA had allowed GMR-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) to collect Rs 1,300 per international passenger and Rs 200 from each domestic passenger as DF from December 1.The DF collected was being deposited in escrow accounts over which the Airports Authority of India and the government had powers to ensure that all receipts were properly accounted for and utilised only for “the permitted purposes of airport development”.

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