56 Air India employees lost lives due to COVID-19: Govt

New Delhi, July 22: As many as 56 Air India employees have died due to COVID-19 till July 14, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Thursday.

"A total of 3,523 employees of Air India Limited have been affected by COVID-19. Out of this, 56 employees succumbed to this pandemic till July 14, 2021," he stated in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

The minister said the national carrier has taken various measures to safeguard the interests of COVID-affected employees and their families.

He stated that the carrier paid a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of each permanent employee who died due to COVID-19.

When a fixed-term contractual employee died due to COVID-19, Air India paid his or her family a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, he noted.

Employees infected with COVID-19 were granted a paid quarantine leave of 17 days, he said.

"Reimbursement of vaccination charges are being provided to employees and their families if paid by them," he said.

The minister said medical facilities were also being provided to Covid-positive employees.