Times of India: Bhopal: Tuesday,
May 24, 2016.
Madhya
Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seems to be a 'high-flier', not
just in terms of his achievements but for his penchant for air travel. In to
his third term as chief minister of the state Chouhan has remained airborne for
two hours daily. Up from one and half hour daily during his second term.
This was
revealed in reply to an RTI query by TOI by directorate of aviation, of the
state government that between January 1, 2013 and March, 28, 2016 Chauhan flew
for about 1708 hours-an average of more than 2 hours a day.
Couhan's
penchant for air seems to increase with his terms as chief minister, during his
second term, between 2008 and 2013, he flew for around 3,000 hours in
state-owned aircraft and his average flying hours per day was 1.5 hours which
has increased to 2 hours a day, in his 3rd term. Of the total usage of
state-owned aircraft, CM alone has used 55%.
Besides,
chief minister remaining all the dignitaries including ministers, and state
guests, have only travelled for 1426 hours of the total 3134 usage of the state
owned aircrafts in past 2 years.
State has
also hired chartered planes for more than 100 hours between January 1, 2013 and
March 28, 2016 and have paid Rs 2.4 crore as rent. Even among the use of hired
planes, CM has the biggest share with an air travel of more than 75 hours in
rented aircraft out of total around 100 hours of hired plane usage, directorate
of civil aviation, government said in the reply under RTI Act. State owned
aircraft, BELL 407; helicopter was used for more than 26 hours for clicking
aerial photographs for state government's calendar.
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