Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who vowed to end up VIP culture in the state after took oath as the CM a year and six months back had spent over 2.82 crore from the state exchequer as his helicopter tour and airlift expenditure in just four months.
According to the reports, the state General Administration department had recently sanctioned for payment of helicopter and airlift of Rs 2,82,07,692.
The documents revealed that, Rs 1,80,57,025 released to the Pawan Hans Limited for chopper rides by the Assam during the month February to May last.
The state government had released Rs 1,01,89,527 on October 21 to the Pawan Hans Ltd for chopper rides by Sarbananda Sonowal during the month February and March, 2017.
A top official of the department said that, the helicopter service company was paid Rs 27,70,028 for the chopper rides by the Assam CM in the month February, 2017 and Rs 74,19,499 in March last.
Apart from it, the state government also released Rs 78,67,498 on November 21 last to Pawan Hans Ltd for Assam CM’s helicopter tour in the month May, 2017.
The state government had released Rs 1,01,50,667 for airlift cost to the Assam CM.
The state General Administration department had sanctioned the airlift payment by issuing order No CAG (A)136/2016/175 on November 13 last.
The top official said that, the amount was released in nine bills in the name of Air Head Quarter firm.
It is to be mentioned that, the Assam CM had took initiative to end up VIP culture in the state after took oath as the CM and also ordered his colleagues and government officials to reduce tour expenditure.
Assam’s former Chief Minister Tarun Googi was spent over Rs 8.97 crore from the state exchequer as his helicopter tour expenditure in his last tenure.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
