Deshmukh grounded once again

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh thought his flying woes had ended when the state hired a new pilot in April. But the jinx continues, as the latest pilot too has left for a more lucrative assignment abroad.

Captain Naval Shrivastava is the third pilot to leave the State government job in the past one year.

The State government now only has one pilot, Captain Neetu Gupta, and rules say that the aircraft, a Beechcraft King Air 350, has to have two pilots.

This leaves the CM, Deputy CM R R Patil, Governor S M Krishna and Chief Secretary D K Sankaran grounded again. The latter three also use the aircraft on official assignments.

Captain Shrivastava was unavailable for comment, but Deshmukh said he was unaware that his pilots have quit and he would find out why they are leaving.

The CM has to now fall back on planes from corporate houses like Videocon, Tata or Reliance or the state aircraft of J&K government for official trips. “The state has always struggled to get pilots and after they get one, it is difficult to keep them,” said a source.

The reason, sources say, is the stress accompanying the job of flying the state’s top dignitaries. “There are people who are willing to take the stress, provided they are compensated well, but the state pays peanuts compared to airlines and corporates,” the source added.

Captain Shrivastava, a senior commander, has apparently left to join a new flying school in Dubai. Captain Gupta is still with the government, but cannot fly, as there is no commander for the Beechcraft.

MiD DAY had reported on March 17 that Reliance Industries’ Chief Managing Director, Mukesh Ambani, had offered the services of his pilot when the CM needed one. The state used Ambani’s pilot before hiring Captain Shrivastava.

A pilot who was with the state earlier, on condition of anonymity, said, “I left the job because of the money. I also didn’t get leave when I wanted. It was getting too hectic. I would be called on duty anytime and it was affecting my personal life.”

UNLUCKY CM

July 2005: Both the CM’s pilots leave for private operators

November 2005: One of the pilots, Captain Neetu Gupta, returns after she fails Kingfisher Airlines’ tests

January: The government hires a commander, who was a former Tata pilot. He fails to pass the medical test.

First week of March: Mukesh Ambani offers the services of his pilot

March 19: The CM goes to Aurangabad and the aircraft is grounded thereafter for repairs. The chopper is down for maintenance.

April: The state hires Captain Naval Shrivastava.

November: Captain Shrivastava leaves for an assignment abroad.