New Delhi, March 28 : The job losses in various branches of the civil aviation sector is around 19,200 or nearly 10 per cent of the total 1.9 lakh jobs in the sector, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Monday. “According to industry sources, in a period from 31st March 2020 to 31st December 2021, the total number of airline employees in India has declined from around 74,800 to around 65,600. Similarly, the number of employees in airport sector has declined from around 73,400 to around 65,700. The total number of employees in ground handling sector has declined from around 30,800 to around 27,600 in the said period,” Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a written reply. However, the total number of employees in air cargo sector has increased from around 9,600 as on 31st March 2020 to around 10,500 as on 31st December 2021, the Minister added. “The total job loss in airlines, airports, ground handling and air cargo sector is around 19,200. The job loss is around 10 per cent of the total around 1.9 lakh jobs in these sectors,” Scindia added. The minister was responding to a query by MP Ripun Bora who wanted to know the details of the job losses during the last three years in the private sector companies in carrier service, in operation and maintenance of airports. The minister said that the government has held discussions with industry participants and stakeholders to address the challenges facing the industry. He said that air traffic during 2020-21 witnessed a massive fall of 66 per cent over the previous year due to the pandemic. “During the last two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the revenue streams of businesses including aviation sector,” he said. The minister claimed that with the massive nationwide vaccination drive, revival in air traffic in 2021-22, opening of international flight from March 27, establishment of new airports, expansion of existing airports and airlines etc, growth of the Indian aviation sector is likely to result in increase of jobs opport ties in the sector. ASU RKM