31. Functions of the Air Transport Council.—
(1) It shall be the duty of the Air Transport Council to consider—
(a) at the request of either of the Corporations any matter of the kind referred to in section 38; and
(b) any matter of importance which may be referred to it by the Director General of Civil Aviation or the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs relating to matters of common interest, between either of the Corporations and the Director General of Civil Aviation, or as the case may be, the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs, including rates for the carriage of postal articles by air, and to make recommendations thereon to the Central Government.
(2) At the request of the Central Government, the Air Transport Council shall investigate any matter relating to the fares, freight rates or other charges levied by either Corporation in respect of any service or facility provided by the Corporation and of the adequacy of efficiency of such service or facility and shall make recommendations thereon to the Central Government.
(3) The Council shall, if so required by the Central Government, tender advice to that Government in regard to financial and economic analysis, accounting, costing and statistical techniques and financial reporting relating to air transport and, in particular, advise in regard to the matters specified in the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 34.
(4) The Central Government, after taking any recommendation made by the Air Transport Council under this section into consideration, may issue such directions in the matter as it thinks fit and such directions shall be binding on the Corporation concerned.
