Air India is owed a sum of over Rs 574 crore (Rs 5.74 billion) in outstanding dues by different ministries and departments, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Thursday."The outstanding amount to be collected by Air India from the various ministries/departments of Government and government agencies as on March 15, 2012 is about Rs 574.67 crore," Singh said in reply
to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
Singh said that the Air India had submitted the bills to the respective offices and was pursuing the matter for realisation of dues.
In response to another question, Singh said that a strike by pilots agitating against non-payment of salaries and flying allowance on January 14 this year had cost the national carrier Rs 5. 8 crore (Rs 58 million).
"The loss of revenue due to strike of pilots on 14.1.2012 is approximately Rs 5.8 crore," Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
