Bhopal:
The new authorities of Madhya Pradesh has spent greater than Rs 32.85 crore on air journey in lower than a yr since coming to energy, averaging Rs 9.25 lakh a day. The revelation has sparked political debates, with critics questioning the fiscal prudence of the expenditure.
The Madhya Pradesh authorities — in response to questions raised by Congress MLA Pratap Grewal — has advised the meeting that Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, ministers, and senior officers made 666 air journeys utilizing each authorities and personal plane.
Of these, 428 have been on rented plane and 238 on government-owned planes and helicopters.
The use of personal planes — employed 222 instances — alone accounted for Rs 36.39 crore. Private helicopters have been used 97 instances.
Aviation Department officers clarified that hiring non-public plane turns into crucial when authorities planes are unavailable. The Chief Minister accounts for almost 90 per cent of the whole utilization, with minimal use by different ministers.
This heavy reliance on rented plane started after the state authorities’s C-90 aircraft crashed at Gwalior Airport in May 2021 throughout a Remdesivir supply mission. The accident, attributed to pilot negligence, rendered the aircraft unusable.
Since then, the state has employed plane often and plans to proceed doing so till the brand new Challenger 3500 jet, value Rs 234 crore, is delivered in 2026.
The crash, which injured the crew and grounded the plane, marked a major shift within the authorities’s air journey coverage. The Kamal Nath authorities had bought the broken aircraft for Rs 62 crore.
A glance again on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan authorities reveals an equally staggering document of air journey.
From April 2020 to March 2023, the federal government spent Rs 4 lakh per hour on air journey, making 1,639 journeys throughout this era. At the time, Madhya Pradesh authorities paid round Rs 37 crore to personal aviation firms.
In March 2023, Congress MLA Mewaram Jatav raised questions within the Assembly, demanding particulars of bills on non-public aviation firms for aircraft and helicopter leases. The expenditure then was additionally justified on the grounds of governance and effectivity.
How Planes Are Rented
The Madhya Pradesh Aviation Department follows a structured course of to rent plane.
Empanelment: Private aviation firms are empanelled by way of an annual Expression of Interest.
Availability Check: Planes are employed based mostly on the supply of plane, with precedence given to empanelled firms.
Usage Guidelines: A 7-seater jet is usually demanded for the Chief Minister’s schedule. If journeys lengthen past 8 hours, as per DGCA guidelines, a second aircraft is offered by the corporate.
Standby Charges: Even if a rented aircraft just isn’t used, the corporate is paid a minimal two-hour hire.
With the acquisition of a brand new authorities plane nonetheless years away, the Madhya Pradesh authorities is projected to spend an extra Rs 72 crore on air journey over the following two years.