No other State would, perhaps, beat Jharkhand in terms of exceeding limits of red tapism and procrastination, coupled with an indifferent Government machinery. If proof is required, fate of the ambitious helicopter purchase exercise could well serve the purpose.
May 9, 2013 marks a year since the fateful day when the then Chief Minister Arjun Munda, his wife and three others had a narrow escape when the helicopter carrying them crash-landed at Birsa Munda Airport due to technical failure.
The then Deputy CM Hemant Soren, who was also in charge of civil aviation department, was quick to announce that the State would buy its own aircraft for VVIP movement and other important work.
However, the announcement remained just that, an announcement. Six months later, in October, Munda formed a panel for purchase of a State-owned helicopter. The panel was to evaluate proposals that would be finalised through a global tender.
The committee was headed by the then Development Commissioner, with Principal Secretaries of Home, Finance and Civil Aviation as members and former Chief Secretary to review the proposal.
The committee could not do much till December, when the civil aviation department finally floated a global tender, inviting commercial permit-holders to bid for a twin-engine medium passenger helicopter.
While the likes of Scotia, Bell Helicopters, Eurocopter India, Augusta and a Russian group were reported to have offered, the bidding process could not take off in the last financial year. Sources hinted that senior officials remained reluctant to go about the business as the copter deal had turned out to be a 'sensitive' issue.
Though incumbent secretary of the civil aviation Sajal Chakraverty could not be contacted despite several attempts by The Pioneer, a senior official of the department confirmed, "The bidding has been cancelled due to lack of sufficient number of bidders. We cannot say when we will again initiate the process as there are no funds for it."
"The deal cannot happen, at least in this financial year. It seems very unlikely even in the next financial year," he added.
Jharkhand does not have its own helicopter for VIP movement even after 12 years of its creation. The State has been dependent on hired or borrowed helicopters for civilian and other uses. The aircraft carrying the former CM and others that crashed in May 2012 was also hired by the State from a private firm and was being flown by private pilots.
Non-acquisition of the helicopter would mean the State continues depending on chartering aircraft from the market. Since most helicopters are based in Delhi or Kolkata, they will have to be ferried on every occasion, resulting in unnecessary expenses and waste of time.
Ironically, even if a helicopter is bought, this seemingly worst-neglected department, civil aviation, does not even have a trained pilot with valid licence to fly it!