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Monday January 12, 02:43 AM
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Source: Indian Express Finance
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Govt to announce VRS for AAI employees at Delhi, Mumbai
By Smita Aggarwal
The government is close to working out a blueprint for determining the fate of around 4,500 Airport Authority of India employees, currently engaged with the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), as the deadline for these employees to be redeployed within AAI draws near.
One of the options, which the civil aviation ministry has narrowed down, is the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for these employees, likely to be announced by January-end.
Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior government official, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are close to finalising the contours of VRS and are considering various options to make it attractive before we offer it to our workers." The ministry has decided to take a leaf out of a similar scheme announced by public sector giant IOC (IOC.NS : 292 +0.9
) for its employees in 2003.
The IOC scheme based on the department of public enterprises guidelines stipulated an ex-gratia payment equivalent to 60 days' emoluments (Basic pay + DA) for each completed year of service or the emoluments for the number of months' service left, whichever was less. For eligibility under this scheme, the employee must have attained the age of 45 years or have served the corporation for a minimum period of 20 years, criteria which the ministry is also looking at.
As per the agreement signed between the government and private airport developers, around 60 per cent of AAI employees were to be absorbed at the refurbished airports. However, majority of the employees have refused the offer. "Since 60 per cent AAI workers have not been absorbed by the airport developer, the developer will have to bear 60 per cent cost of VRS for those opting for it," the official added.
Only 161 of the employees out of a total of 2,149 AAI employees at the Mumbai airport have accepted the MIAL offer to join the operator's workforce of 779. Similarly, around 200 of the total 2,200 AAI employees have joined the Delhi airport.
