Helicopter blades are kicking up a political storm in 'COVID-19'-hit Kerala.

At a time when it claims to be nearly broke, the Pinarayi Vijayan government has gone ahead and paid the first of the three advance payments to secure a 10-seater multipurpose twin-engine helicopter on wet lease, an arrangement in which the helicopter company will provide the crew and will also control the operations.

“What was the need for renting a helicopter at this time? Was there any emergency,” opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala asked. “It beats me why they are moving ahead with such an unnecessary deal at a time when they are asking people to adopt a frugal lifestyle,” he said.

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The payment of Rs 1.71 crore (the rent of Rs 1.45 crore plus 18 per cent GST) has been made on March 31, the last day of the 2019-20 fiscal, to Pawan Hans, a public sector helicopter service company. The money was authorised relaxing the economy orders in place.

The deal with Pawan Hans, for a AS 365 Dauphin N helicopter, was struck in December 2019. The rent was Rs 1.45 crore for 20 hours of flying a month; for every additional hour of flying, the Police Department had to pay an extra Rs 67,926.

Under the deal, Pawan Hans will begin operations in Kerala only after Kerala government paid the rent of the first three months in advance. The Rs 1.71 crore transferred to Pawan Hans on March 31 is the first of the three advance rent payments.

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Police Department sources said there was nothing improper about the transfer. “The money had already been accounted under the police head of account. This money cannot be used for any other purpose,” the source said.

The opposition were up in arms against the wet lease right at the time of inking the deal in early December, 2019. Even then, the expenditure was termed "extravagant" and "wasteful". Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was then subjected to some excoriating criticism.

Young Congress legislator V T Balram, in a Facebook post laced with black humour, likened Pinarayi Vijayan to the yesteryear action hero Jayan who had met with a tragic death while filming an action sequence involving a helicopter. “Is he Vijayan or Jayan,” Balram had asked. It was also the time when the LDF government was under fire for the killing of Maoists. The Police Department had then said the helicopter would primarily be used for anti-Maoist activities.

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The deal also came under a cloud when a private helicopter service company alleged that the Kerala Police Department had brushed aside their lower quote to award the contract to Pawan Hans. The private company, Chipsan Aviation, was ready to hire out two helicopters for 46 hours of flying a month for just Rs 56 lakh.

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