KOCHI: The board of directors of the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) has approved the second phase of the rehabilitation package being extended to those who lost their house and land during the construction of the airport.
The package offers beneficiaries more rewarding jobs and a larger number of pre-paid taxi permits.
The second phase rehabilitation is being rolled out for those who did not get adequate protection in the earlier package. CIAL sub-committee chairman and Industries Minister P Rajeeve took the initiative in shaping it.
According to a spokesperson, employment opportunities in CIAL and its subsidiary institutions, taxi permits, memberships in Head Load Workers’ Society, etc., were provided to the beneficiaries in the initial package.
“However, when implemented, many found themselves in low-paid contract jobs. CIAL has now considered a long-pending demand to make changes to the package for such people,” the CIAL spokesperson said. As part of that, 20 people working on contract basis at the ground handling wing of Air India for relatively low wages will be given memberships in the Cochin International Airport Aircargo Headload Employees’ Cooperative Society.
Currently, the society — formed two years ago to ensure job security and benefits of the modern administrative system — has 120 members.
The board meeting also decided to provide prepaid taxi society permits to those working in the unorganised sector, those who can’t perform in their current jobs due to their physical disabilities, and the dependent kin of deceased employees.
“A total of 25 people will get the opportunity. Currently, 650 people have taxi permits. More people will be given job opportunities in accordance with the increase in passenger traffic,” the spokesperson said.
Rajeeve briefed the decisions taken in the board meeting to the beneficiaries of the second package after convening a meeting of such persons.