The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has rebuked the Maharashtra government for administrative failures regarding a Rs 82.78 crore helicopter meant for anti-Naxalite operations. The helicopter remained grounded for 17 months due to contract mismanagement, resulting in an additional cost of Rs 2.07 crore to taxpayers. The CAG’s Compliance Audit Report for 2024 highlighted these lapses, which were presented in the State Legislature at the end of the recent monsoon session.
The state government initially approved the purchase of the H-145 (VT-GOV) helicopter from Germany’s M/s Airbus Helicopters in 2018 to enhance security forces in Naxalite-affected regions. Despite successful delivery and acceptance tests in 2019, the helicopter couldn’t take off legally due to oversight by the Directorate of Aviation. It lacked a valid airworthiness certificate and an approved Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) agency as required by DGCA regulations.
Due to the state’s failure to engage an MRO agency, the new helicopter was put into preservation in 2019. It took almost 10 months for the Directorate of Aviation to appoint an MRO agency, causing the aircraft to miss essential inspections and lose airworthiness. This delay led to costly Return to Service (RTS) procedures, with the helicopter only becoming airworthy again after spending an avoidable Rs 2.07 crore.
