Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s travel expenditure has revealed that the use of helicopters and special flights has cost the state exchequer a staggering ₹47,38,24,347 (over ₹47.38 crore) since he assumed office in 2023 until November 2025.
The significant expenditure details were presented by the state government in the Legislative Council (Parishat) as a response to an unstarred question raised by MLC N Ravikumar.
Massive Spending on Special Flights
The data presented by the government confirms that since CM Siddaramaiah took charge in 2023, the total cost incurred for his official travel via special aircraft and helicopters is close to ₹47.4 crore. This amount covers all official trips, both within and outside the state.
The primary reasons cited for the extensive use of air travel are:
- State-wide Tours: The CM utilized helicopters and special flights for travel to most districts across Karnataka for official engagements, developmental project launches, and public meetings.
- Inter-State Visits: The expenditure includes travel to major cities outside the state, such as Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai, for national-level political meetings and other engagements.
₹5 Crore Spent on Mysuru Visits Alone
A particularly notable detail in the disclosed figures is the concentrated expenditure on trips to one specific city. The CM's visits to Mysuru—his home district—alone accounted for more than ₹5 crore of the total travel bill.
While official air travel by the Chief Minister is necessary for efficient governance across a large state like Karnataka, the revelation of a nearly ₹47.4 crore bill over two years is likely to generate political debate and public scrutiny regarding austerity measures and prudent use of government funds.
The response provided in the Council offers transparency on the high cost associated with the movement of the Chief Executive, highlighting the logistics and expenditure required to manage a busy schedule across varied geographies. The opposition is expected to leverage these figures to question the government's financial management.
