Political row breaks out between Central and State governments over IAF’s ₹132 crore demand from Kerala as airlift charges
The Hindu
Political dispute between Kerala and Central governments over IAF's ₹132 crore bill for disaster operations sparks controversy.
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Another political row has broken out between the State and Central governments over the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) renewed demand that Kerala recompense the outstanding ₹132 crore airway bill incurred by the Ministry of Defense during disaster-related humanitarian operations since 2019.
The latest wrangle over underwriting the costs of emergency disaster response has erupted at a critical time when the ruling front and opposition were jointly pressing Kerala’s case for significant federal aid to rehabilitate landslide-ravaged localities in the Wayanad district in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking to reporters in Thrissur, Revenue Minister K. Rajan took strong exception to a communique from the Centre in October stipulating that Kerala urgently remit the significant operational costs sustained by the IAF for search, rescue and relief operations during natural disasters, including the recent Wayanad landslide.
A joint secretary in the rank of Air Vice Marshal in the Ministry of Defence’s Department of Military Affairs had raised the demand for settlement of outstanding airlift charges in a letter to the Chief Secretary of Kerala. He also dispatched an itemised airway bill to the State government.
Mr. Rajan portrayed the communique as the latest example of the Centre’s discrimination towards Kerala.
He said the Centre “unjustly” wanted the State to recompense the IAF for humanitarian operations conducted during catastrophic natural disasters, including the 2019 floods, by dipping into the administration’s State Disaster Relief Funds.
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