Cabinet nod to regularization of allowances for key AAI staff

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the regularization of certain allowances being paid over and above the 50 per cent ceiling to certain employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

These allowances are the rating allowance, stress allowance, proficiency allowance, flying allowance and instructor allowance, an official statement said.

The cabinet regularised these allowances "being paid over and above the 50 per cent (pre-revised)/25 per cent (revised) ceiling prescribed by Department of Public Enterprisess to the executives of certain operational category employees". These category of employees include air traffic controllers, communication officers and pilots. 

It also directed to keep these allowances outside the purview of revised 35 per cent ceiling. 

On the rationale for the decision, the statement said that these employees` work "entails complex set of tasks requiring very high level of knowledge and expertise, as well as the practical application of specific skills pertaining to cognitive domains (e.g. spatial perception, information processing, logical reasoning, decision making) communicative aspects and human relations". 

The decision has been taken in view of the fact that air traffic has increased manifold and these technical personnel are keeping the aviation activity very safe.

In order to attract the best talent and to retain the existing trained manpower to provide world-class facilities to air-travellers, these professionals are required to be compensated suitably, it added.