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Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's critics had already dubbed his ongoing Biswas Yatra as a pre-election gimmick rather than a purported drive to review government schemes in the state. Now they are working up a political controversy over the cost of covering the state's 38 districts by a six-seater hired chopper.After kicking off the yatra from West Champaran on April 28, Nitish is now on the second phase of the yatra in Madhubani, Darbhanga and Samastipur.With the government's lone Dauphin chopper having gone for annual inspection and maintenance over a month ago, the government has hired a chopper from Aryan Aviation. The state chopper, not air-worthy since mid-March, could be ready to fly again only by this month-end.According to a government source, "Per hour fare for flying by the chartered chopper costs the government Rs 1.18 lakh. Even if the CM flies 100 hours during the Biswas Yatra, the government expense on flying would add up to Rs 1.18 crore". A civil aviation department official said, "The maintenance of the state-owned chopper could not have come at a more inappropriate time as the government has to fly the Dalai Lama from Dharamshala and back later this month to open the Buddha Smriti Park here. This will further add to the flying costs for the state".The official added that unlike other CMs, Nitish Kumar believed in cost cutting. "He can easily fly by a state-owned plane whenever he is required to go on official work to Delhi but he does not do so as a matter of principle", said the official.Kumar calls the Biswas Yatra a government programme and points out that he reviews the implementation of government schemes during his trip to the districts. But the Opposition in Bihar remains critical of the CM using "public money to further his political ends".Bihar Congress president Anil Kumar Sharma says, "Flying by a chartered chopper during the Biswas Yatra is a blatant waste of public money. Whether it was the Vikas Yatra earlier or the current yatra, the CM must not be seen to be using government resources for political purposes. The exercise of the review of government schemes is a sham and anyone can see through the pretense".
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