Bhopal, Oct 23 (IANS) The Congress on Friday questioned the Madhya Pradesh government’s purchase of a jet and a helicopter at a reported combined cost of Rs 575 crore amid the state’s debt burden and alleged delays in social security pensions and honorarium payments to women’s groups preparing Mid-Day Meals. He demanded disclosure of the procurement contracts, payments and additional expenditure.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Media Department chairman, Mukesh Nayak, said the reported increase in the prices of the aircraft and expenditure on their interiors raised questions about transparency and the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led government’s spending priorities.
“When regular air services are available, why did the government need to purchase such an expensive aircraft and a helicopter using public money?” Nayak asked in a statement.
He said the state Cabinet approved the purchases on July 10, 2024. The jet’s initial cost of around Rs 234 crore reportedly rose to Rs 350 crore, while the helicopter’s price increased from Rs 125 crore to Rs 225 crore.
Nayak claimed that around Rs 60 crore was spent on the customisation of the jet’s interiors and Rs 20 crore on the helicopter’s interiors.
He demanded details of expenditure on customs duty, GST, insurance and other components, along with tender documents, contracts and payment records.
Questioning the BJP government’s priorities amid Madhya Pradesh’s debt burden, he cited complaints of delays in social security pensions and honorarium payments to women’s groups preparing Mid-Day Meals.
He also flagged pending contractor payments and incomplete infrastructure projects.
“Public money should be spent on people’s needs, not on facilities whose necessity and cost themselves raise serious questions,” he said.
Nayak also referred to the Rs 3,200-crore drinking water scheme in Satna and Maihar, alleging that substantial funds had been withdrawn while villages continued to face water shortages.
He demanded details of the work completed and a deadline for the project’s completion. He said state Congress president Jitu Patwari had also raised allegations of financial irregularities in the aircraft purchase, including a purported Rs 100-crore commission, and demanded an impartial investigation.
–IANS
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