Pilot plan in snooze mode

Ranchi: Governor Syed Ahmed needs to make his claim of snappier work during President’s Rule ring true for 23 youths whom Jharkhand selected to train as commercial pilots in early 2010.

The state’s aim to train 30 youths from Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) into pilots has stayed grounded after three years, two false starts and several rounds of bad luck.
On March 11, the governor’s advisory council had given the go-ahead to resume state-sponsored commercial pilot training for selected youths.
Over two months gone, the agreement with two aviation schools — Saraswati Aviation Academy, Uttar Pradesh, and Chimes Aviation Academy, Madhya Pradesh — is yet to be inked by state welfare department, the nodal department looking after the scheme.
“The clauses of the agreement need the council’s nod. Hence the delay in entering the agreement with the two aviation centres. We will place the agreement papers before the council soon,” Rajesh Kumar Sharma, tribal welfare commissioner, said, but did not specify a deadline.
30/05/13 Santosh K Kiro/Telegraph India