CMs' chartered flights cost Rs 11 crore since 2009

 The State government has spent a whopping Rs 11 crore on special chartered flight service for the use of chief ministers since 2009, including incumbent Jagadish Shettar and two former chief ministers, B S Yeddyurappa and D V Sadananda Gowda.

As per the reply given by the chief minister in the Legislative Assembly to an unstarred question by Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy, an amount of Rs 11.21 crore has been spent by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Protocol) for hiring special flights.

Shettar, who took oath as chief minister in July 2012, has till December 2012 spent about Rs two crore to travel by special flights.

Interestingly, of the total 21 trips to various destinations, nine were to his home town Hubli. Sadananda Gowda has spent about Rs 1.7 crore for special flights during his tenure as chief minister.