The Governor N.N. Vohra led administration in Jammu and Kashmir is compiling a list of people who have used state choppers.
This is being done on the directions of the State Information Commission, which wants the government to immediately frame fresh rules to check indiscriminate use of the state sponsored travel facility.
The SIC initiative came after reports emerged that over Rs 50 crore from the state exchequer was spent on the travel of former ministers and top bureaucrats who used state helicopters and planes.
The state’s civil aviation department usually remains with the Chief Minister and state choppers and planes are often used by politicians even when they are on a personal tour along with their families.
The SIC has asked the government to furnish the details within five days.
Earlier, a J&K citizen based in Jammu had asked the state aviation department to disclose the names of ministers whose spouses used the state’s chopper services to attend the marriage ceremony of one law maker.
The person also filed an appeal after the department refused to give the required information. In its judgment on the appeal, the SIC directed the state government to make new rules within two weeks to regulate travel by the state choppers.
After receiving the direction from state SIC, Raj Bhavan has directed the state civil aviation department to compile the necessary information about all those passengers who have used the state choppers and planes till date.
Raj Bhavan has also asked to look into accusations that over Rs 50 crore have been spent for ferrying politicians and bureaucrats who have used state choppers not for public good.
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