Panel set up to implement Dharmadhikari report: Govt

Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh made it clear that the demands of striking Air India pilots will be looked into after they give up their 26-day "illegal" agitation unconditionally.

"Their strike is illegal as no notice was served...Employees should take their strike back unconditionally and then all their demands will be looked into," Singh told reporters here. He said the implementation committee will give its report within 45 days on how to implement the Dharmadhikari Report. The committee will also do a `level mapping` of employees of Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines.

Singh said performance-linked incentives will be abolished and there will be a unified cadre and uniform policy with regard to working of all cadres. "The salaries of the present employees will be protected. As far as allowances are concerned, as far as the senior staff is concerned, management staff is concerned, that will be allowed according to the DPE guidelines .....And other allowances of non-management staff will be according to the industry norms," the Minister said.

The Dharmadhikari report on integration of about 27,000 employees of unified Air India, including pilots, cabin crew and engineers, was submitted in January this year almost five years after the merger of two state-run airlines.