Airport for Kishtwar sanctioned
International flights from Srinagar by June

Excelsior Correspondent

New Delhi, Feb 13: The international flights to and from Srinagar Airport will operate from this summer with the new terminal building getting ready by June 2008. To start with, flights will be operated to and from the Gulf countries.

This decision was taken at a meeting here late last night between Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel. The Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Dr. K. Ramalingam and senior officers of the Civil Aviation Ministry and Airports Authority of India were also present.

Mr Azad requested Mr. Patel to operate international flights to and from Srinagar from this summer which was agreed to. The Chairman, AAI assured Mr. Azad and Mr. Patel that the new international airport terminal at Srinagar will be ready by June 2008. The building will handle 500 domestic and 450 international passengers per hour. The airport will have four aero bridges while five more aircraft parking bays are also proposed.

By another decision taken in the meeting, the runway of the Jammu Airport will be extended up to 9000 feet from existing 6700 feet. It was also agreed that a new terminal building will be constructed at Jammu Airport costing more than Rs. 100 crore.

In yet another important decision, the Airports Authority of India will construct an airport at Kishtwar. The Minister for Civil Aviation directed the Chairman, AAI to visit Kishtwar for making an on-the-spot study so that hilly and far-flung area of Jammu division has its first airport at the earliest.

The J&K Government is also constructing a small airport at Surankote in Poonch district from the State sector. The Ministry of Civil Aviation cleared the project during the Azad-Patel meeting last night.

The Ministry also agreed to the Chief Minister’s proposal for construction of a new terminal building at Leh Airport. The new building will be constructed at a cost more than Rs. 100 crore with extension in the built up area from existing 2500 sq mt to 12,000 sq mt. The new terminal will handle 500 passengers against 200 at present. The terminal will have two aero bridges.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Chief Minister had a meeting with Union Minister for Power, Sushil Kumar Shinde during which a 1000 MW thermal power project was agreed to be constructed at Udhampur in three years, besides the Central Government had given a nod on joint funding for two phases of Baglihar hydel power project.

Major boost for pilgrim tourism
Shiv Khori, Bawa Jito among 4 shrines
get huge Central funds

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 13: Holy shrine of Shiv Khori in Reasi district, which is likely to be governed by a Shrine Board very soon besides Bawa Jito and Jia Poto shrines in Jammu district and ‘Naun Pindies’ on Katra-Reasi road are being developed in a big way with Union Ministry of Tourism approving funds worth several crores for creation of facilities there to promote pilgrim tourism.

Official sources told Excelsior that the Ministry of Tourism has approved a project plan for Shiv Khori shrine, located in picturesque and hilly Ransu area of Reasi district, at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

The amount will be used to develop facilities for pilgrim tourism around the shrine as authorities expected number of yatris to the shrine to increase manifold after the setting up of Shrine Board for which a bill was approved by both Houses of Legislature in last month’s budget session.

Another important project is development of an artificial lake at holy shrine of Bawa Jito and bringing Jhiri town, where Bawa Jito shrine is located, on tourist map at a cost of nearly Rs 27 crore. The shrine and the town are located on Jammu-Akhnoor road and are thronged by people round the year with rush reaching at its peak during Jhiri festival.

Located barely 10 kms from Jammu City, Jhiri town and Bawa Jito shrine are being promoted as tourist spots under the plan of Union Ministry of Tourism.

Local MLA and Rural Development Minister Mula Ram was pushing the project for past quite sometime.

The Ministry has also sanctioned a plan for further development of Jia Poto temple shrine in Akhnoor. Recently, Rs 34 lakh were spent on the temple by the Ministry.

Rs 2.5 crore have been approved for development of ‘Naun Pindies’ temple on Katra-Reasi road. Under the project, the temple will be renovated, parks will be constructed and sitting arrangements made for the pilgrims.

Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Sanjeev Verma, who heads Management Committee of Shiv Khori shrine presently as a formal Government notification constituting Shiv Khori Shrine Board (SKSB) is yet to be issued, told Excelsior that a Guest House for the pilgrims with facilities for night stay of nearly 150 people and sitting arrangements for over 10,000 people is being constructed near the shrine. The DC Reasi is proposed to be the vice chairman of the SKSB.

Mr Verma said three km track from Ransu to Shiv Khori shrine which has to be trekked by the pilgrims either on foot or mules has been improved and was being further upgraded by constructing gardens on its both sides. A ‘darshani deodi’ on the pattern of Katra is proposed to be developed from the funds sanctioned by the Centre and own funds generated from offerings at the shrine.

A Master Plan for Reasi town is also being formulated. A new place for Bus Stand at Reasi is being searched to cope with increasing rush of the pilgrims.

Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) is being upgraded at Ransu with construction of more blocks while TRCs are also proposed at Shiv Khori shrine and Dera Baba. All TRCs will have a common design.

After the SKSB comes into being, a Technical University, Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and educational institutions are proposed to be set up in and around Reasi, sources said.

Natwar quits Cong, may join BJP

JAIPUR, Feb 13: Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, who had to resign from the Government in the wake of the Iraqi Food-for-Oil scam, today announced his resignation from Congress but parried questions whether he planned to join the BJP.

He made the announcement in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia at a BJP-sponsored Jat rally in Vidyadhar Nagar, 20 km from here, and soon after launched a blistering attack on Sonia Gandhi.

"Wait and see" was all that he would reply to questions on whether he would join the BJP or whether he expects to get a BJP seat to Parliament as his term in Rajya Sabha is coming to an end shortly.

Singh, suspended from the party and facing a petition for his disqualification from Rajya Sabha, quit the Manmohan Singh after the Volcker Committee findings in the UN Oil-for-Food scam in which he and his son were named as beneficiaries.

The Pathak Inquiry Authority, set up to go into the findings, found that he had used his position to get oil contracts from the Saddam Hussain regime for his son’s friend Andaleeb Sehgal. However, the authority said Singh did not personally benefit from the deal.

A few months later he was suspended from the party while his son Jagat Singh, an MLA in Rajasthan, was expelled. His case is being dealt with by the Congress Disciplinary Action Committee.

With Singh hobnobbing with the Samajwadi Party during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections last year, the party also filed a petition before the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking his disqualification.

The Congress contended that Singh’s actions amount to voluntarily giving up the party membership, a basis for action under the Anti-Defection law. Singh’s membership in the Rajya Sabha ends in April this year.

77-year-old Singh, who quit the Foreign Service to contest the Lok Sabha elections successfully in 1984, became a Minister of State in the Rajiv Gandhi Government and later was made a Cabinet Minister in the Manmohan Singh Government.

Asked by reporters after his address at the rally whether he was joining the BJP, he merely said "wait and watch" but made it clear he would work against the Congress in the Assembly elections in the State later this year.

He gave a similar reply when asked whether he was expecting any ticket from the BJP.

To a question why he took this step "so late", Singh said "this is the first step I have taken after considering a lot of aspects".

He said Congress was not the same as it was during the period of Nehru and Gandhi (Indira).

"Sonia Gandhi is going to ruin the party. Congress has lost many elections including in Gujarat. She does not understand the difference between Ramayan and Mahabharat. How can she lead a nation," he asked.

Speaking at the rally organised in memory of Maharaj Surajmal, a former ruler of Bharatpur, Singh said Jats (who comprise a backward community) were more committed to the region than any "outsider", an apparent potshot at Sonia Gandhi.

He said today (Surajmal’s jayanti) was a special occasion and that was why he resigned from the Congress today. (PTI)

Reach out to worst hit areas: Governor

Excelsior Correspondent

ANANTNAG, Feb 13: Governor Lt. Gen (Retd) S K Sinha today visited snow-hit areas of Anantnag, Doda and Kishtwar districts and stressed the need for early restoration of road network to reach out landlocked habitations.

The Governor was informed that power supply in Kishtwar will be restored within three days while stranded people would be airlifted to Paddar and Dachan areas of Kishtwar district in a day or two. Power supply had got interrupted on account of damage to two towers.

General Sinha appreciated the coordination between civil administration and the Army for responding swiftly to the situation and ensuring timely relief and rescue measures. He said that based on the experience gained in the present crisis, perspective planning should be carried out for the future. He urged the officers to ensure dispatch of essentials to critical areas well in time besides maintaining adequate reserves at nodal locations.

The Governor noted with satisfaction constitution of rescue mission teams at Anantnag, Kishtwar and Doda with stand by helicopters to evacuate affected people, wherever needed. He was told that GREF has made available 16 bulldozers in Kishtwar district for clearing roads while the Army and local administration have established control rooms at district, tehsil and block levels to monitor the overall scenario. He said that rescue teams will have to remain in a state of readiness in avalanche prone areas.

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey, who was accompanying the Governor during his visit to snow hit areas of the division, said that nature's fury has been more severe this time in Jammu areas than in Kashmir. Some far off areas like Dessa, Machail and Sumchan recorded over 12 feet of snow. He said that heads of all the departments were flown to the affected areas to have on-the-spot feel of damages and problems and taking decisions on the spot. He said that main thrust would be on clearing all bridal paths besides restoration of other utility services.

The Governor flew to the remote isolated village of Dessa. He heard people's problems and assured that the Army would continue to give all possible assistance in tandem with the local administration. He also interacted with prominent citizens at Bhaderwah and Kishtwar and said that the after-effects of the heavy snowfall would be over soon with administration taking elaborate measures to ensure the supply of essentials and other services.

At Anantnag, Deputy Commissioner, G A Peer and Brig S P Patil of 1 Sector RR briefed the Governor about relief and rescue measures. On 6th February, 7 persons including six members of a family were killed due to collapse of house-tops. While the hapless family comprising mother and five children died beneath their rooftop in Kapran area, one person died at Gulab Bagh. The police and the local revenue officials had to walk 19 kilometers to retrieve the bodies while the head of the family, a coolie in Jammu, was brought to perform the last rites. The authorities with the assistance of the Army rescued 37 other villagers who have been lodged at a camp set up in Manigam where free meals are being served to them.

Mr Peer said that electricity and drinking water has been restored in Anantnag town while restoration work in other areas is continuing on war footing. Brig Patil said that Disaster Management Store was in place and rescue teams were in readiness.

Deputy Inspector General, south Kashmir, H K Lohia and Senior Superintendents of Police, Anantnag and Kulgam were present at the briefing.

Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Shahid Lateef told the Governor that there has been no casualty in the district. 360 persons of Paddar and Dachan areas have been lodged in a camp pending their airlift within a day of two. He said they are being provided meals, medicines, bedding etc at the camp. Brig Raaj Sangwaan of Delta Force said that arrangements are being made for airlifting of the stranded passengers while GREF has made available 16 dozers for snow clearance.

At Bhaderwah, Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Khursheed Ahmed Bhat informed the Governor that 3 persons were killed while 4 others were injured due to snow fury. He estimated damages of property valuing at over Rs 14 crores and said that 12 houses have been damaged fully and 74 partially.

The Governor had an aerial survey of the most affected areas including Kansar, covered by thick layers of snow, and discussed with the Divisional Commissioner the arrangements made for ensuring early supplies and services.

Another militant group trapped in Mendhar
Rs 3 cr worth heroin seized on IB

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 13: Security forces today recovered heroin worth Rs 3 crore in the international market from near the fenced area at Korotana Khurd near Abdullian in RS Pura sector. The heroin smugglers, however, remained untraced.

Meanwhile, security forces and police have engaged another group of militants in an encounter at Lerhi Kishti in Ghani forests of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district this evening while troops of Rashtriya Rifles seized a consignment of arms and explosives in Lassana area of Surankote.

Official sources said the Border Security Force (BSF) seized three packets of heroin, each weighing one kg and 70 grams opium from near the border fencing area at Korotana Khurd this morning.

The packets had been thrown by heroin smugglers from Pakistan side of international border to this side which were to be picked up by the smugglers but the consignment fell into the hands of security personnel.

Three kg heroin is valued at Rs 3 crore in the international market, sources said.

All three packets had the marking of ‘9’, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Showkat. Heroin appeared to have been smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan and then into Indian territory by international smugglers of narcotics.

Immediately after the recovery of heroin packets, the BSF jawans cordoned off the area and launched a search operation in Abdullian and surrounding village anticipating that the smugglers might have been camping in the area to pick up narcotics consignment.

Police parties later also conducted searches in the area but no arrests could be made.

This was for the second time in RS Pura sector when this new modus operandi of narcotics smugglers to throw heroin packets, instead of physically smuggling them, was detected. In previous attempt, the smugglers had thrown eight heroin packets to this side, all of which were seized by the security personnel.

Sources, however, didn’t rule out the possibility of the smugglers having succeeded in laying their hands on the consignment thrown from across the international border. This new modus operandi is being adopted by the smugglers to ensure that they were not caught by the security forces.

The BSF later handed over the consignment to Narcotics Control Bureau.

Army and police, meanwhile, observed movement of some militants at Lerhi Kishti in Ghani area of Mendhar sector in Poonch district this evening. Some shots were also fired by the militants in a bid to escape.

The operation was on in the area when the reports last came in.

During past about one week, nine militants including six infiltrators have been gunned down by Army and police in Mendhar sector.

Troops of 45 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, 27 rounds, four UBGL grenades and one Chinese grenade during a search operation at Lassana in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district.

Dasmunsi heads WB, Pachouri MP units
Soz formally appointed PCC(I) president

NEW DELHI, Feb 13: Union Water Resources Minister Prof Saifuddin Soz will be the new president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), the party announced today.

The move is aimed at strengthening the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir at a crucial time when the troubled State goes to polls later this year.

In a statement, the party said Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved Prof Soz’s name in consultation with the general secretary in-charge of the state affairs.

Prof Soz would, at least for the time being, retain the portfolio of Water Resources Ministry. Prof Soz, who made his entry into Lok Sabha in 1983, had joined Congress five years ago after a long stint in National Conference.

He replaces Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed who had resigned from the post on January 17 following allegations of bribery levelled against him by a sitting legislator on the floor of the State Legislative Assembly. Sayeed had also resigned from the State Cabinet as Education and Haj and Auqaf Minister.

The independent legislator Shoaib Lone had alleged that Sayeed demanded and took from him Rs 40,000 for giving permission to his sister to open an Elementary Teacher Training Institute in the Valley.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has welcomed the appointment of Prof. Soz as JKPCC chief.

The Chief Minister described Prof Soz as an able politician whose rich experience would benefit the party in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Chief Minister also telephoned Prof. Soz to congratulate him on assuming new responsibility.

The announcement of Prof. Soz’s appointment as head of the Congress party in J&K was made less than 24 hours after the Chief Minister met the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday and urged her to make the formal announcement of Prof Soz’s appointment as JKPCC Chief as had been decided earlier.

Meanwhile, P R Dasmunsi, a known detractor of the Marxists, was appointed the State unit chief of Congress in the Left-ruled West Bengal ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls while Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachouri was appointed to head the party in Madhya Pradesh.

Ajay Singh, son of Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, has been made in-charge of campaign committee in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. West Bengal would have Panchayat elections soon.

63-year-old Dasmunsi, who holds the portfolio of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs and Pachouri (56), who also looks after Parliamentary Affairs as MoS, may have to shed one of their ministries.

Dasmunsi, who represents Raiganj in Lok Sabha to which he was elected first time in 1971, replaces Pranab Mukherjee who was functioning as WBPCC chief and had resigned after the party’s debacle in the Assembly polls in 2006.

He had earlier been once PCC president between 1985 and 1988 and had served as National Youth Congress chief for four years.

Pachouri, whose fourth term in Rajya Sabha comes to a close shortly, replaces Subhash Yadav who has been functioning without any office bearers or the executive for the past nearly three years.

The announcement was made by AICC general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, who said that the appointments have been made by party chief Sonia Gandhi. (AGENCIES)

CCPA to consider fuel price hike today

NEW DELHI, Feb 13: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs is likely to consider raising petrol price by Rs two a litre and diesel by Re one a litre tomorrow in view of a surge in global crude oil prices.

"The matter is listed before CCPA that will meet soon after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning," a Government source said.

CCPA, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, comprises representatives from all political parties that form part of the ruling UPA alliance.

A Rs two a litre increase in petrol and Re one per litre hike in diesel prices is being contemplated but a duty rejig to minimise impact of high international crude oil prices looks unlikely.

The source said the Government may raise the quantum of oil bonds to be issued to state-run oil retailers to partly compensate them for selling auto and cooking fuel below cost.

Presently, 42.7 per cent of the under-realisation on petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene is met by the Government through issuance of oil bonds. This percentage may increase, the source said.

Another 33 per cent is borne by up upstream companies like ONGC and GAIL, while the remaining has to be borne by the retailers - Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum.

The total under-realisation this fiscal is estimated at around 71,808 crore, he said, adding that the Finance Ministry was opposed to Petroleum Ministry’s demand for a Re one per litre reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel.

The state-run firms lose Rs 10.57 per litre on petrol, Rs 11.56 on diesel, Rs 19.89 on kerosene and Rs 331 on each LPG cylinder.

Earlier, a Group of Ministers headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had left a decision on fuel prices to the Cabinet after the panel was split right in the middle on the issue. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora insisted on a duty cut rather than price hike, while Finance Minister P Chidambaram was opposed to any pre-budget duty rejig.

Petrol and diesel prices were last raised in June 2006, when crude oil was at 67 dollars a barrel. It is at 92 dollars a barrel this year. LPG prices were last raised by Rs 20 per cylinder in November 2004 when crude was at 34 dollars a barrel. Kerosene prices have not been changed since 2002 when crude was at 23 dollars per barrel.

A Re one per litre increase in petrol price would give Rs 90 crore a month additional revenue to public sector oil companies. A similar hike in diesel would fetch Rs 360 crore a month. A Rs 10 per cylinder increase in LPG prices would result in Rs 58 crore additional revenues every month. (PTI)

Two militants, 3 OGWs held

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 13: Security forces today apprehended two terrorists and three Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) in Kashmir valley where a hide-out of militants was also busted.

An official spokesman said that 7 Rashtriya Rifles launched an operation in the general area of Uttarsu, four kilometres from Khundroo in Anantnag district and apprehended two terrorists.

The arrested militants have been identified as Aziz Ahmed Bhatt, son of Ghulam Hasan Bhatt of Redh Mohalla and Ashiq Hussain Ahenger, son of Basher Ahmed, of Ahenger Mohalla.

Meanwhile, three Over Ground Workers (OGWs) affiliated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen outfit were arrested in Bandipora area.

They have been identified as Mohammad Yaseen Khan, Nasir Ahmad Dentho and Showkat Ali Dentho.

The spokesman said that troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group (SOG) launched a search operation in general area of Khajapur in Shopian district and recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition.

The recovery included UBGL-27, ICOM Radio Sets-02, Antenna ICOM set-07, electric timed device detonator-15, IED frame-02, detonators-16 and other war like stores.

Cong defeat to impact budget

NEW DELHI, Feb 13: Recent defeat of the Congress party in the three States of Gujarat, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, will have a major impact on the last budget of the UPA Government, preparations for which are almost complete.

Continued thrust on social sectors in the budget 2008-09 with focused attention on the UPA Government’s flagship programmes is almost a foregone conclusion.

However, Finance Minister P Chidambaram would be in a tight corner to maintain a fine balance between fiscal discipline and political demands arising from the next General Elections.

Informed sources say that the budget 2008-09, which is being formulated in the second year of the 11th Plan, will leave little margin to introduce strategies and initiatives outlined in the Plan.

With the first year already gone without a Plan in place, political constraints in the second year of the Plan, will further diminish the chances of the 11th Plan (2007-11) being implemented in letter and spirit.

This being the terminal year for the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBMA), the Finance Ministry will not be in a position to create extra resources needed to meet both political requirements and economic demands for growth.

Indications are that the budget will depend heavily on generating extra funds through Public Sector Undertakings and it would be seen that almost all profit making PSUs go in for IPOs to raise resources from the market without sacrificing their majority share holdings in these companies.

However, the budget would have to make provision for the schemes already announced during the course of the year. Thus, funds would have to be provided for the Skill Development Mission, schemes relating to the agricultural sector like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and the Food Security Mission, clubbed with additional commitments in the education and health sectors. All in all, there would not be any major margin with the Finance Minister to consider demands of other sectors.

Substantial increase is likely to be announced in the social sector schemes and those relating to rural development, including the Horticulture Mission, Rural Water Supply Scheme, Rural Sanitation Programme, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, National Rural Health Mission, NREGP, Indira Awas Yojna (rural housing), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, Accelerated Power Development Programme(APDP), Integrated Child Development Scheme, Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, and Backward Region Grant Fund.

Higher allocations will have to be made to the States in view of the State Governments expressing displeasure about continuous decline in their share of Gross Budgetary Resources. Over the years, the GBS to the States has come down substantially as the Centre has been depending more and more on the Central Ministries for implementing the social sector programmes.

Availability of funds will be further constrained as both the Central Government and States will have to earmark funds for implementing the Sixth Pay Commission Report.

With the Railway Ministry already being asked to keep apart Rs 9,000 crore for this purpose, indications are that the burden on the Central Government alone would be to the tune of Rs 30,000 crores.

With national elections to take place in the near future, and Assembly elections due in a number of States soon, the resources of the States will be further under pressure. This would mean further thinning of resources as well as increased pressure on inflationary trends in the economy.

Mr Chidambaram would thus have to keep a careful watch so that inflation does not get out of hand while ensuring that positive trends in the core sectors of the economy are not adversely affected beyond a point.

In short, the budget is set to witness a tug of war between demands economic growth and political wish lists. (UNI)

CRPF cop missing in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Feb 13: A Constable of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is missing from his company headquarters in south Kashmir, official sources said.

They said Atul Basu Bitalli, a resident of Jangberi, Assam, is missing since February 11 from the Company Headquarters of 61 Battalion.

The 23-years -old Constable had left the headquarters at Kokernag in south Kashmir without informing his colleagues, the sources said, adding an FIR has been lodged at a local police station.

This is the first incident during this year when a CRPF Constable is reported missing in the Valley.

Officials believed that he might have deserted the force and left for home because of heaviest snowfall in 20 years and minus 10 degree temperature in most parts of south Kashmir. (UNI)

MHA to revamp BSF Air wing

NEW DELHI, Feb 13: To tide over the shortage of pilots leading to virtual grounding of the BSF Air wing, the Union Home Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Ministry.

"The MoU is basically to get pilots, ground support and maintenance facilities," BSF Director General A K Mitra said today.

He said BSF will get six MI-17 helicopters from the Indian Air Force to add strength to its existing fleet of one Embraer, two King Air and two Avro Aircraft. "The IAF agreed to provide the helicopters to us," Mitra said.

The BSF has been hiring choppers from time-to-time for the Naxal affected areas in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The choppers are used mainly to evacuate injured security personnel and rush them to nearest hospital and the Centre foots the bill of air operations under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme.

The choppers are also used for transportation and supply of combat materials and replenishments for the Central para-military forces.

Asked how long it would take to get the MI-17 helicopters and 12 pilots — two for each chopper — the BSF chief said "it would take around a fortnight".

The BSF would also get six engineers from the IAF for maintenance of its aircraft, he said.

Sources in the Home Ministry said that BSF needed additional air power to help the Central Security Forces to combat the Maoist menace.

Nearly half of BSF’s 157 Battalions are engaged in counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties and the air wing is tasked with communication duties as well as airlift of personnel and equipment.(PTI)