Air travel saves time, spent far lesser than ex-CM Basavaraj Bommai: Siddaramaiah tells BJP MLA
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah upheld his decision to travel by air on various occasions and to nearby places, arguing that it saved time and by putting before the Assembly expenses incurred by his predecessor Basavaraj Bommai.
Replying on the state budget on Thursday, the CM referred to BJP legislator H Vishwanath’s query regarding the money spent on his travel by air.
According to Deccan Herald, the senior MLA of the Opposition pointed out that while the CM was using a flight for a one-hour journey between Mysuru and Bengaluru, adding that the tax-payers’ money was used for the journey.
Siddaramaiah snapped at Vishwanath, asking if Bommai had not done the same. “Bommai had spent Rs 37 crore in 2022-23. Was that not extravagant?” Siddaramaiah asked the BJP MLA.
Presenting the figures before the House, Siddaramaiah said he had spent Rs 54 crore on air travel in the three years since he took charge as CM. He had spent Rs 12 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 21 crore each in the next two financial years, the CM said, challenging the Opposition to compare the figures with those of Bommai’s expenses on air travel.
The BJP members clarified that they had raised objections only to the special trips of Siddaramaiah to Chikkaballapur, which is situated barely 60 km away from Bengaluru, and not his trips to Delhi.
Clarifying from his front, the CM said he traveled by air to short distances as a chief minister had long hours of work and it was important to save time.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that the money spent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on foreign trips was as high as Rs 814 crore.
In response, however, the BJP and the JD(S) members walked out of the house, expressing dissent over the state budget.
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Five held with hydroponic weed worth Rs 8 crore at Goa airport
Panaji, Mar 27 (PTI): The Goa Customs have arrested five passengers with 23.8 kg of hydroponic weed worth more than Rs 8 crore at the Manohar International Airport (MIA), officials said on Friday.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted passengers who arrived from Bangkok (Thailand) and Abu Dhabi via Muscat on Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Sunil B Deshmukh said.
He said that the AIU seized 23.8 kg of the contraband concealed inside food packets in the passengers' checked-in baggage.
The substance was found to be hydroponic weed after testing, and the passengers were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the official said in a statement.
The seized contraband is worth more than Rs 8 crore in the black market, he said, adding that a probe is underway in the case.
