CM Jagan Govt Hires Two Helicopters; Opposition Says it Violates Poll Code
VIJAYAWADA: Two new helicopters were hired to step up security of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the wake of threat from left-wing extremists, terrorists, fundamentalist elements and organised criminal gangs.
According to a notification published in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette, the DGP, Intelligence, had stated that the Chief Minister was in the ‘Z+’ category and facing specific threats from left-wing extremist, terrorist, and fundamentalist elements and general threats from organised criminal gangs and anti-social elements, and felt that the security arrangements of the Chief Minister need to be handled sensitively.
The notification said that the DGP, Intelligence, suggested replacing the current aircraft with a new or alternative aircraft of better airworthiness. Subsequently, AP Aviation Corporation Limited proposed to procure two twin-engine helicopters that are to be less than two years old.
Currently, the Civil Aviation Corporation of AP is utilising a Bell 412 VT-MRV, dating back to 2010, for the tour programmes of the Chief Minister.
Accordingly, an e-tender, the government approved the bid of Global Vectra Helicopters which quoted `1.91 crore per month as charges, apart from ground handling, accommodation for pilots in star hotels, logistics for pilots, fuel transportation charges, crew medicals and ATC charges.
Responding to the decision, Jana Sena PAC chairman Nadendla Manohar criticised the Chief Minister for spending public money getting new helicopters. He accused the Chief Minister of emptying the state coffers before he was defeated in the elections. He questioned how the helicopters procured with public money would be used for the YSRC election campaign.
YSRC rebel MP K. Raghurama Krishna Raju complained to the Election Commission about the government hiring two helicopters and alleged that it violated the election rules. He asked the EC to intervene into the matter.
