246 IAF pilots retired prematurely, 143 on deputation

New Delhi: Two hundred and forty-six pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have opted for premature retirement, while 143 are on deputation to government organisations, parliament was informed Thursday.
"The number of pilots who have proceeded on deputation to various government organisations during 2002-2005 is 143," Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
The IAF has an authorised strength of 3,269 pilots. The current strength is 3,015, with 254 posts lying vacant. The minister, however, evaded a direct reply to the question whether the government was aware that a large number of IAF pilots were seeking to quit the service to join private airlines. "These exits do not affect the operational status of the squadrons. The improvement in the job profile of the IAF pilots is a continuous phenomenon and is undertaken regularly," he added.
The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, admitted last month he had a "problem" on hand but not a "big problem" over pilots wanting to quit for greener pastures.
11/05/06 Telugu Portal

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