Over 1,000 employees of Air-India are expected to avail of the voluntary retirement scheme, for which the airline would have to bear financial burden of about Rs 57 crore (Rs 570 million), Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shripad Naik on Tuesday said in Parliament.

Naik informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has already cleared this scheme for Air-India. It will be applicable to all permanent and confirmed employees of the company, who have completed ten years service and completed 40 years of age.

However, pilots, engineers, aircraft equipment operators and technical officers will not be covered under the scheme, which will be effective from February 24 to April 25, or till such time the management deems fit, on the basis of the response to the scheme.

UNI