Jaipur: The Rajasthan Government has auctioned the Agusta helicopter, aircraft King Air C-90 and Sea King B-200 on Thursday at a price higher than their reserve price. According to the sources, the Gehlot government is preparing to buy an 8-seater small plane ahead of the Rajasthan elections in the next 22 months.
Earlier, in a meeting chaired by the then Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya, it was agreed that more than 10 tenders were issued with reduced prices yet the three planes were unsold. Consequently, the General Administration Department had issued an e-open notice on January 13 and conducted an auction today at 12 noon.
The reserve price of Agusta helicopter was Rs 2.5 crores while the auction was held for Rs 7.55 crores. The reserve price of B-200 was Rs 9 crore, which was auctioned for Rs 18.50 crore. Similarly, the reserve price of C-90 aircraft was kept at Rs 3.25 crore and was sold for Rs 7 crore 60 thousand. Meanwhile, there were strict instructions given by the government to auction off the three aircrafts as the government is preparing to buy its own plane.
There are speculations that the government can buy an 8-seater small plane as, each time, the governor visits anywhere, he needs a 6 to 8 seater small plane for which many times a plane is called on rent. Thus keeping in mind the need of Raj Bhavan, the government is preparing to buy its 8 seater plane, for which proposals will be sought soon.
Earlier, on April 6, 2021, no buyer came to the auction of the AW-109E Power Helicopter in the Directorate of Civil Aviation of the State Hangar. In such a situation, the government once again extended the date and invited an auction. The attempts were made to sell this helicopter 12 times in the last 7 years, but it could not be sold.
Meanwhile, the erstwhile Vasundhara government had bought the helicopter in 2005 for Rs 30 crore. It suffered a crash in 2011, carrying the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot since then it has been standing on the state hangar. The government has spent Rs 2 lakh every year on its repair and maintenance.
