AI workers body protests privatisation bid, blame government policies for losses

Air India employee union expressed its dissatisfaction over Central government's plan to hand over the state-owned carrier to private parties. The Air Corporations Employees's Union (ACEU) called this move 'unilateral and arbitrary', media reports stated.

NITI Aayog has already advised Central government to disinvest in the debt-ridden Air India. It recently submitted a report with a detailed roadmap for Air India's disinvestment, including writing off loans to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore.

"We are shocked and surprised to know from media reports that the government is on the verge of taking a unilateral and arbitrary decision to privatise Air India," read an ACEU press statement.

Indicating that the government is planning to privatise the state-owned domestic carrier, Finance Minister stated last week that Air India holds 14 per cent market share but has a debt liability of Rs 50,000 crore. After this, Jaitley added, if private airlines can handle 86 per cent traffic then they can also handle 100 per cent.

Meanwhile, Air India staff blamed disastrous experiments by ertswhile government for losses, something employees cannot be held responsible for. The airline carrier has been relaying on bail-out package of Rs 30,000 crores provided by the Manmohan Singh government in 2012, reported the Times of India.

"One thing is for sure, the taxpayer's money cannot be committed for eternity. So, that is one problem. Failures are there on the financial front, so, there are problems and these will be attended to," said Aviation Minister Gajapathi Raju while talking to a news channel.

The Air India had been in the green till 2007 and made a profit of around Rs 100 crores in 2015-16 on account of low jet fuel costs and increase in passenger footfall.

Meanwhile, Central Bureau of Investigation has already lodged FIRs for preliminary enquiry into dubious decisions made by erstwhile UPA government regarding Air India.

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