Saturday, June 22, 2019

Why recruit sportspersons when they make no efforts to publicise Air India, ask employees

Mumbai: National carrier Air India recruits sportspersons under the sports quota.

After Air India hit an acute financial crisis, the employees of the national carrier have put forth a demand saying that sports section should be restricted till the company is out of its crisis as the sports section incurs expenditure running into crores which is a burden on the company.

The employees said that given the financial crisis of Air India, the company should work judiciously; especially when essential facilities given to the staff are being stopped or curtailed.

The letter comes in the wake of the RTI revelations which have yet again started a heated debate if Air India is justified in these appointments and spending when it is going through a financial crisis.

RTI reply by Air India Sports Promotional Board on August 8, 2018, reveals that there are a total 203 sportspersons employed with Air India from various games like hockey, cricket, football, kabaddi, badminton, chess, shooting, tennis, carom, judo, golf and swimming.

Air India employees say that they have, on numerous occasions, raised objections to this practice.

They allege that the sports department in Air India has become an avenue for promotions.

"There are many sports persons who are indulging in private business. They take leave even for events. A kabaddi player takes leave for KPL. They even coach private teams at Air India's expense. They take sports leave at the drop of a hat for personal events. Even for cultural activities they don't report to work," an employee said on condition of anonymity.

India Today TV is now in the possession of a letter written by the President of Federation of All India Service Engineers Association (AISEA) and Air India Employees Guild (AIEG) to the Secretary Civil Aviation and CMD Air India.

The letter complains on how the national carrier is spending on sportsmen and cultural activities despite huge losses to the company.
22/06/19 Pankaj Upadhyay/India Today
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