BHOPAL: The Shivraj Singh Chauhan government in Madhya Pradesh is planning to buy a modern turbojet aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art technology worth Rs 80 crore in the New Year 2022. According to reports, the state government has spent nearly Rs 13 crore on a rented aircraft that is being currently used for official purposes during the last seven months.
In order to purchase the new turbojet aircraft, the Madhya Pradesh government will make provisions in the budget proposal in February. However, the main opposition party Congress has slammed the cash-strapped government’s move to buy a new aircraft. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has targeted the Shivraj government over the issue.
MP govt’s old plane crashed last year
It is to be noted that the state government’s old aircraft Super King Air B-250 had crashed on the Gwalior runway in May last year. Since then, the government has been using rented aircraft for official tours, surveys and important visits. Now, the state government has decided to buy a new plane, which is expected to arrive in April-May this year.
Digvijay Singh pokes fun at CM Shivraj
Veteran Congress leader Digvijay Singh has taken a jibe at the Madhya Pradesh government over its decision to buy a new plane. Digvijay Singh took to Twitter and wrote "If Modi bought an expensive aeroplane, why would CM Shivraj stay behind.”
'Bade Miyan To Bade Miyan, Chhote Miyan Subhan Allah,” he tweeted further.
मोदी ने महँगा हवाई जहाज़ ख़रीदा
तो
शिवराज पीछे क्यों रहें।“बड़े मियाँ तो बड़े मियाँ
छोटे मियाँ सुभान अल्लाह” https://t.co/yaVfrFkmfM— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) January 2, 2022
Through his tweet, Digvijay is also believed to have taken a swipe at PM Modi over the central government’s recent decision to buy an expensive state-of-the-art aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore.
More airstrips needed in MP
However, the Madhya Pradesh government would now need more airstrips for the new aircraft to land as presently there are only 5 airstrips that can be used for the landing of the new aircraft in the state. New airstrips would also be required since the proposed aircraft is a turbojet, which has a speed of 800 kilometres per hour. For the safe landing of a turbojet aircraft, the airstrip should have a 4-5 thousand feet long runway.
At present only Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Khajuraho have airstrips suitable for turbojet aircraft. Therefore, the state government would need to extend the runways of the remaining 27 airstrips in the state.
Besides, the Madhya Pradesh government also owns a 155-B One helicopter. This helicopter was purchased by the government in the year 2011 for Rs 59 crores. This helicopter has completed 3000 hours of flight and it needs to go for extensive maintenance and servicing. It is estimated that around Rs 1 crore rupees will be spent on the service of this helicopter.
