PM promises AI employees will get salaries soon

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday promised that wages and appropriate perks would be paid to Air India employees at the earliest after the financial problems of the ailing carrier found a resonance in Lok Sabha with members raising concern over non-payment of salaries.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday promised that wages and appropriate perks would be paid to Air India employees at the earliest after the financial problems of the ailing carrier found a resonance in Lok Sabha with members raising concern over non-payment of salaries.

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It is an open secret that Air India is in "serious difficulty", Singh said, adding that the government has formed a Group of Ministers to look into the steps to be taken for financial restructuring of the airline and bring it back to normal.

"Air India doesn't have resources to pay salaries.... Whatever be the final outcome of the GoM, I can assure the House that the government will find ways and means and ensure that wages and salaries are paid," he said while intervening during Question Hour.

Members raised the matter vociferously with some saying that employees were finding it difficult to pay monthly installments for their car or home loans as they have not been paid salary for the last three months.

Singh said the salaries for June and July and productivity-linked incentive for employees would be paid at the earliest.

MoS in PMO V Narayanasamy, who replied to questions on behalf of ailing Civil Aviation minister Vayalar Ravi, said the "turnaround plan and financial restructuring plan" of Air India are presently being looked into by a group of officers appointed by GoM.