Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, while discussing the divestment process of Air India in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, said the airlines will have to close down if it is not privatised.
Trinamool Congress member Dr. Santanu Sen raised the statement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman that the divestment process would be completed by March 31, 2020, and sought to know whether it can be ensured that not a single employee will lose his or her job after the disinvestment.
In response, Mr. Puri said, “I am not in a position to place any interpretation on the statement of my senior colleague, the Finance Minister. I think what she said was that the process of disinvestment for which, as Finance Minister, she is responsible, is under way. The issue of getting bids will arise only after we have completed the processing. So far, the alternate mechanism, under the chairmanship of the Home Minister, has been made. We have taken some decisions. Other decisions are being progressed. Once we invite bids, then we will see how many bids have come in. But, as I said, the issues relating to current employees, their health cover, how many will remain, what will happen, etc., we are committed to securing a favourable deal for all employees. I will go to that extent and say that. …Then, airlines will have to close down if it is not privatised.”
