Thaindian News

Ranchi, May 8 (IANS) The Jharkhand government is considering a vigilance probe to fix responsibility for the decision in which officials selected an institute lacking basic infrastructure for training tribal youth of the state as pilots and air crew.
The state’s Tribal Welfare Department last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad-based Spyka Training centre for providing for pilot and air hostess training to tribal youths of the state. As per the agreement, the state had to pay Rs.60 million to the institute.

However, 27 students returned to the state without completing the training, complaining the institute had no hostel facilities and lacked basic infrastructure required for the training.

“The Hyderabad institute, which was awarded the contract of imparting training to tribal students, lacks basic infrastructure, hostel facilities and is also not recognised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” an official of welfare department told IANS.

According to the official, the institute was selected through tender but the officials failed to verify its credentials and the facilities it provided.

The three officials who are facing heat over the issue are K.K. Sone, Sunil Kumar Barnawal and Nitin Kulkarni - all posted as Tribal Welfare Commissioners, when the process of floating the tender, selecting the institute and signing the MoU were done.

T.P. Sinha, adviser to the Jharkhand governor, has recommended instituting a vigilance probe to fix responsibility for the decision.

The welfare department started a programme to provide selected tribal youths training as pilots and air crew. In the first batch, 30 tribal students were imparted training by other institutes and are now working in different airlines.

The only condition was that the tribal youth, who underwent the training and got jobs, would have to support the education of two youths of their community.