Vipin Kumar Takes Charge as Chairman of Airports Authority of India
On October 28, Vipin Kumar, an IAS officer from the 1996 batch of the Bihar cadre, was appointed as the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Before this role, he served as the Additional Secretary in the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. His responsibilities included overseeing the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, National Education Policy-2020, and PM-SHRI Scheme.
In Bihar, Kumar held various significant positions such as District Magistrate, Chairman of Bihar Bridge Construction Corporation, Managing Director of Bihar Milk Cooperative Federation (SUDHA), and Director of the Mid-Day Scheme-Bihar. He holds a degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering.
Role and Responsibilities at AAI
As the new Chairman, Kumar will focus on developing world-class airport infrastructure, leading air navigation services, and enhancing passenger facilities across India. His leadership will be crucial in advancing the Indian Aviation Sector towards the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat-2047.
About Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India was established on April 1, 1995, by merging the National Airports Authority and the International Airports Authority of India. AAI is responsible for managing civil aviation infrastructure in India, overseeing 133 airports, of which 110 are operational. These include 28 civil enclaves and 8 airports under private control. AAI also provides air navigation services over 2.8 million square nautical miles of airspace.
In the year 2023-24, AAI managed aircraft movements totaling 1,053.96 thousand, handled 130.67 million passengers, and processed 688.38 thousand metric tons of freight.
Doubts Revealed
Vipin Kumar -: Vipin Kumar is a person who works for the government of India. He is an IAS officer, which means he is part of a group of people who help run the country.
IAS officer -: IAS stands for Indian Administrative Service. These are people who help the government make important decisions and manage different parts of the country.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) -: The Airports Authority of India is a group that takes care of airports in India. They make sure that airports are safe and work well for people traveling by air.
Bihar cadre -: In India, IAS officers are assigned to different regions or states, called cadres. The Bihar cadre means Vipin Kumar was assigned to work in the state of Bihar.
Ministry of Education -: The Ministry of Education is a part of the Indian government that looks after schools and education in the country. They make sure children get a good education.
Viksit Bharat-2047 -: Viksit Bharat-2047 is a plan for making India a developed country by the year 2047. It includes improving things like infrastructure, which means roads, airports, and other important facilities.
nautical miles -: A nautical mile is a way to measure distance, especially over water or in the air. It’s a bit longer than a regular mile, which we use on land.
aircraft movements -: Aircraft movements refer to the number of times airplanes take off and land at airports. It’s a way to measure how busy an airport is.
freight -: Freight is the goods or cargo that are transported by airplanes. It can include things like packages, food, and other items that need to be moved from one place to another.
