Chartered flight controversy a closed chapter, says CM; refuses to name sponsor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has reiterated that he will not disclose the identity of the sponsor behind the chartered flight that triggered a controversy. Speaking at a press conference, he said the issue was now a closed chapter.

When reporters asked who had sponsored the flight, Satheesan replied, “You have already found that out yourselves.”

He also announced that the government would not renew the helicopter rental contract. Satheesan said the UDF had opposed the rental agreement, which was why the government decided not to continue with it.

Meanwhile, the government will introduce a new system to speed up the processing of pending files. The initiative, called the Janasparsham File Adalat, will run from October 15 to December 30. The government aims to clear 2.76 lakh files under the initiative. The objective is to ensure quicker decisions on files that have remained pending, the Chief Minister said.