New Delhi, Mar 24 (IANS): The Centre on Wednesday introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the definition of "major airport" so as to extend its scope to determine the tariff for a group of airports and encourage development of smaller airports.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri introduced the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which proposes to amend the definition of "major airport".

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India has been determining the tariffs of aeronautical charges at major airports in the country.

Under the present Act, "major airport" has been defined to mean any airport which has, or is designated to have, annual passenger in excess of three and a half million.

However, it does not provide for determination of tariff for a group of airports.

Developing a greater number of airports through public-private partnership mode would expand air connectivity to relatively remote and far-flung areas.

Therefore, the government has decided to club or pair airports having profitable and non-profitable airports which could be offered in public-private partnership mode as a package to the prospective bidders.