Munda: Get, set, go

Ranchi, June 10: There may not be too many high-fliers in the state in too many fields but there is no dearth of ?frequent fliers? ? chief minister Arjun Munda being one of them.

The chief minister loves to fly and what?s more, has taken a fancy to private, chartered planes. He took off once again on Friday, this time in a seven-seater plane, hired from Asia Aviation. Munda and his entourage, which includes the finance minister, chief secretary, finance secretary and the development commissioner, left today for Lucknow on a three-day study tour, which will take them to Gujarat and Karnataka as well.

The hurriedly planned programme (the business advisory committee of the Assembly had to meet today to reschedule some of the sessions due to the unavailability of the chief minister) has given the Opposition a chance to question the wisdom of incurring high costs on what it sees as a dubious tour.

The chief minister could have flown to New Delhi and thereafter to Lucknow, they pointed out, rather than pay at the rate of Rs 1 lakh per flying hour for the chartered plane. Assuming the plane would remain at the disposal of the team for the next few days, they said, the cost would be even more.

The bureaucracy, however, described the charges as churlish. The cost of the tour, they felt, is far too small compared to the enormous development projects being undertaken in the state. A lot more money, they pointed out, was involved in the home minister Sudesh Mahato?s tour abroad.

?When so much is being spent on development, why can?t a small amount be spent on a study tour,? was the poser put by officials at the chief minister?s secretariat.

But the Opposition remains far from impressed. ?What can they learn in three days,? asked RJD leader Girinath Singh, while Congress leader Pradeep Balmuchu scoffed, ?if the chief minister is really serious about development, let him first put a check on corruption in government offices.? The chief minister, hopefully, will silence his critics on his return.