Arjun Munda arrives at his residence on Thursday

Ranchi, May 18: Arjun Munda today decided to hire an air ambulance for the two pilots who kept their nerves in the May 9 helicopter crash, repaying the debt of punarjanam to his “saviours” in perhaps the first instance of a bedridden chief minister holding a cabinet meeting.

A day after Munda was released from Apollo hospital, he presided over a meeting with his council of ministers while lying in a motorised bed at his official residence.

His first decision was to arrange for an air ambulance to send Captain V.K. Singh and co-pilot G.P.S. Kaushik to New Delhi for treatment at a military hospital.

The duo, named by chief minister’s wife Meera Munda as “saviours”, are undergoing treatment at Apollo hospital.

Apart from the pilots and Munda, the chief minister’s wife and Majhgaon MLA Barkuanr Gagrai were also injured when the Agusta AW109 had to be crash-landed at Ranchi airport due to a snag.

Principal secretary in the cabinet co-ordination department Aditya Swaroop revealed, “The state government has decided to bear the entire expenses incurred on the medical treatment of the two pilots at Apollo hospital and their transportation to Delhi by an air ambulance.”

RIMS has provided a special bed that can be folded for Munda, who has been advised by doctors against assuming a sitting posture.

“The bed, placed in the drawing room, was slightly slanted upwards from its head. The files with the agenda of the cabinet meet, were placed before him one by one so that he could read them comfortably without any extra stress,” Swaroop told The Telegraph.

As many as 27 agenda issues were discussed at today’s meeting that lasted nearly 90 minutes. However, deputy chief ministers Sudesh Mahto and Hemant Soren were missing. Mahto left for Mumbai yesterday on a personal visit, while Hemant left for Dumka this morning.

The ministers present took off their shoes and washed hands with soaps and chemicals before stepping into Munda’s room to avoid any infections to the chief minister.

“We had placed 12 chairs in the room for the ministers and the chief secretary and the cabinet secretary,” confided a personal staff member.

Other decisions

n Uniform to all categories of students up to Class VIII in government/government-aided privately managed schools

n State to sign MoU with Indian Council for Agricultural Research’s Patna centre

n14 posts for Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority

n Appointment of additional advocate general at Patna High Court for steady disposal of Jharkhand related cases

n Physically challenged persons to get monthly stipend of Rs 400, effective from June 1.

nFinancial regulations amended for speedy implementation of MGNREGS schemes

n Jusco nominated for drinking water in Ghorabandha