Pawan Hans launches new portal, App amidst protest over proposed disinvestment

AT A time when the Central government is gearing up to sell its entire stake (49 percent) in Pawan Hans, Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju has unveiled the chopper carrier’s new corporate website, e-portal for charter and e-ticket booking and mobile app.
The government has already announced its plans to sell its stake in the firm and transfer the management control of the helicopter service operator.
Expressing shock over the company being included in the "list of sick public sector undertakings, which have been selected for 100 per cent strategic sale based on recommendations of...
Niti Aayog," a section of employees of Pawan Hans said, it has been making profit since its inception and also pays dividend.
The new website is more user-friendly and more interactive, Pawan Hans said in a statement.
The new website has been designed to provide the ultimate user-friendly experience with improved navigation and functionality throughout for customers delight.
Earlier, Pawan Hans recorded net operating profit of Rs.61.67 crore and Profit after Tax (PAT) of Rs.36.08 crores during 2015-16 and paid dividend of Rs.10.82 crore to government of India and ONGC for the financial year 2015-16.
The cheque of Rs.5.52 crore for the financial year 2015-16 was also presented to Civil Aviation Minister of P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju by Dr. B.P Sharma, CMD, Pawan Hans in the presence of Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, among others. Pawan Hans has paid a dividend of Rs 235 crore to the Government and ONGC till date.
Pawan Hans is a joint venture between the Central Government and ONGC with the former holding 51 per cent stake and latter the rest 49 per cent.
The aviation entity’s employees’ union has written to the PMO seeking its intervention in the proposed move to sell government share in the PSU.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra last week, the All India Civil Aviation Employees Union (AICAEU) said the decision has been taken at a time when the Government aviation PSE is acting as a “price regulator” by offering air connectivity to the remote parts of the country at an “affordable” cost, says a media report.
It has more than 900 employees with half of them on permanent rolls.
Set up in 1985, Pawan Hans currently has a fleet of 46 helicopters and the Noida-headquartered aviation entity is active in the Northeastern states.