Rs 98.77 million being spent on repair of chief minister's helicopter

The Punjab public exchequer had to face additional financial burden of Rs 98.77 million for the purchase of spare parts to revitalise M-I-17 helicopter under the official use of provincial chief executive.
The home department had purchased M-I-17 helicopter in May 2004, at the cost of $25 million to manage the visits of senior officials to far flung areas of the province in case of any emergency. Earlier, the provincial government had to pay in millions per annum to the Ministry of Defence as fare for the use of helicopter, sources told Business Recorder, here on Thursday.
On a proposal initiated by the home department, this helicopter was purchased in May 2004, to perform all sort of emergency duties, rescue operations in case of flood, famine and earthquake and relief work in calamity stricken areas.
Earlier, only the Punjab chief minister was entitled to use the helicopter to visit every nook and corner of the country during his official tours. But later on, the Competent Authority authorised the home secretary and inspector general of police, Punjab to pay surprise visits to remote districts through helicopter to check the police performance and hear the public complaints regarding police highhandedness.
Both officials were authorised to use it to visit those parts of the province where heinous crimes took place, but they never used this helicopter. Within two years, some technical faults appeared in the helicopter and technical experts recommended purchase of spare parts to revitalise the helicopter. Now the government had reserved Rs 98.77 million for the purchase of required spare parts of the copter to carry out repair work.
An official on the condition of anonymity said that the helicopter was not used in any rescue or relief operation. He said neither the home secretary nor the inspector general of police paid any surprise visit to any remote district during the last two years.
The helicopter remained under the exclusive use of chief minister secretariat and the main causes of faults were stated to be its 'rough and unauthorised use'. When contacted, the chief pilot Colonel Safdar said that the helicopter was in good condition and needed routine repair and replacement of some parts.