'PM entitled to free travel on Indian Air Force planes, no bills raised, reveals RTI query

New Delhi: The Prime Minister is entitled free travel on Indian Air Force planes for which no bills are raised, IAF has said in an RTI response.

Commodore (Retd) Lokesh Batra had sought to know from the Prime Minister's Office the information on the laid down procedure for clearing bills of IAF BBJ aircraft chartered flights for the Prime Minister's foreign visits.

His application was transferred to the Defence Ministry which sent it to the Indian Air Force.

The air force in its response said,"...Prime Minister is entitled for free airlift in VVIP aircrafts (sic) of the IAF. No bill has been raised for such airlifts."

Giving background of the application, Batra said under the RTI link on the 'PM India' website on "details of expenses incurred on air travel in respect of foreign visits" of the Prime Minister there was no mention of the expenses incurred by IAF on such visits.

"It is observed that under the column 'Expenses incurred on Chartered Flight'; between the period August 2014 to May 2016...The Prime Minister had made five foreign visits by 'IAF BBJ Aircraft' Chartered flights. However, there is no mention of 'expenses incurred' on foreign visits by the Prime Minister by chartered IAF BBJ aircraft flights," he said.