Taking the inclusiveness agenda quite seriously, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has revealed plans to hire transgender persons as well as people with Down Syndrome at the airports across the Northeast. This is part of AAI’s ‘Project Equality’ and the organisation’s commitment towards eliminating discrimination at the workplace.
Sanjeev Jindal, regional executive director, AAI Northeast, shared that the move was aimed to make such people part of the mainstream society. Imphal Airport already appointed its first transgender employee, Milan, at its helpdesk in 2019. Also, in November, 2019, the AAI took on advocate Swati Bidhan Barua as its first transgender lawyer. The Agartala Airport [Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport] also aims to hire at least one transgender executive within a month.
Officials have also revealed that AAI is taking measures to ensure that the work environment is friendly and conducive to these employees. It will not be hiring transgender people directly. Instead, it will be availing the services of third-party human resource providers to supply manpower from the transgender community.
Since people with Down Syndrome have been found to excel in performing repetitive jobs, AAI is keen to introduce people with the condition.
More airports are being planned in the Northeast, and helicopter services will be increased in Arunachal Pradesh. About 10 per cent of air traffic has already spiked in 12 airports across the region.
