Jharkhand govt to pay Rs 2 crore for chartered flight for 'VIP movement'

The Jharkhand government decided on Thursday that it would pay Rs 2.06 crore for chartered plane services for a month, an official said.

The cabinet has approved the proposal of getting a "fixed winged jet chartered flight service" on a nomination basis for a month for "official movements of VIPs and VVIPs outside the state", cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel said.

"The service period will be applicable from August 31," she said.

The MLAs and ministers of the ruling UPA coalition in the state went to neighbouring Chhattisgarh on Tuesday to stave off the BJP's possible poaching attempt during the ongoing political crisis in the state.

A chartered flight carrying 32 MLAs, including ministers, took them to Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh.

Four ministers -- Alamgir Alam, Badal Patralekh, Banna Gupta and Rameshwar Oraon -- returned to Ranchi on Wednesday to attend the scheduled cabinet meeting.

The ministers are likely to move back to Chattisgarh in a day or two.