PMO PAID IAF ₹89 LAKH FOR NONOFFICIAL VISITS OF PM

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has paid around ₹89 lakh to the Indian Air Force (IAF) for flying Narendra Modi on 128 “non-official” domestic trips since he took office, an expense that was lower than if the PM used commercial providers.

The trips were largely for electioneering, and India’s election code makes it a must for ministers — including the PM — to reimburse the government if its machinery is used in such cases.

The flights provided by IAF were mostly when the PM had to fly out to remote locations in helicopters or small planes instead of his usual mode of air transport: the Air India One. The rates for these flights were last revised by the defence ministry in 1999.

In all, the IAF provided details of 128 non-official flights taken by the PM from May 2014 till February 2017, when Modi was on a whirlwind tour of election-bound states that included Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Assam, the RTI reply provided by the IAF to Commodore (retired) Lokesh K Batra said.

The disclosures could cause some unease among BJP rivals, who can claim that the lower rates put the PM’s party at an advantage with respect to election spending.

Quoting the rules, the IAF said no charge will be recovered for use of aircraft by the President, vice-president, the prime minister (except when he/she travels otherwise than on official duty), the ministers of defence and home and senior defence ministry officials for defence purposes.

The reply said the rates will be calculated at commercial rates if the destination is linked by a regular commercial air service and, in other cases, with reference to per passenger per kilometres rates notified by the defence ministry. The reply said the rates were last notified in 1999.

“It is surprising that the PMO has paid for PM’s non-official visits which were for electioneering. As per election rules, his party (BJP) should have paid the money,” Batra said.