Budget 2018-19

  The schedule is also being drawn up keeping in mind that crew who do not have fixed working days Air India (AI) has said a schedule for vaccinating its employees is being drawn up and all employees will be vaccinated by May-end. The national carrier issued a statement after its pilots threatened to stop work over lack of management support for employee vaccination. “Air India has already held camps on office premises for vaccination of 45 years and above employees. Since May 1, as all persons 18 years and above can be vaccinated, a schedule for vaccination is now being drawn up and it is expected to commence as early as next week. All employees will be vaccinated by end of this month, that is May 2021. The schedule is also being drawn up keeping in mind that crew who do not have fixed working days,” Air India said. The airline’s announcement has brought cheer for its employees and customers alike. “With no health care support to the flying crew, no insurance, and a massive opport...

  This despite the prime minister suggesting such a move be the last resort to curb the spread of Covid-19 In early April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told chief ministers in an interaction that lockdowns were a tool of last resort in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and entirely avoidable if a strategy of micro-containment was followed. He followed this up with similar advice on April 20 when he repeated his suggestion that micro-containment should be the preferred option. But either the PM’s advisers were out of touch with the reality on the ground or it was an unworkable suggestion: Because within days of the PM’s advice, several states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — and the opposition — resorted to precisely this measure to curb the rates of infection in their state. Most states have termed these curfews, but the curbs are akin to a lockdown. Gujarat was the only BJP-ruled exception that followed the PM’s lead faithfully. Although the state continues to report aroun...