Amravati: YSRCP leader and former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, during his five-year term, spent ₹222 crore from the state treasury on air travel. Documents from the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Corporation Ltd (APACL) reveal that the government spent ₹222.85 crore on air travel between 2019 and 2024.
The annual breakdown includes ₹31.43 crore in 2019–20, ₹44 crore in 2020–21, ₹49.45 crore in 2021–22, ₹47.18 crore in 2022–23, and ₹50.81 crore in 2023–24.
The data further states that ₹112.50 crore was spent on fixed-wing aircraft, ₹87.02 crore on helicopter charges, and ₹23.31 crore on operational costs such as crew and handling.
The controversy began when YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders accused Minister Nara Lokesh of frequently flying to Hyderabad and misusing public money.
In response, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) released new figures detailing air-travel expenses during Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure as chief minister.
However, a recent RTI filed by Kodamala Suresh Babu revealed that none of the departments headed by Lokesh had paid for the minister’s travel expenses.
Lokesh, who holds the portfolios of Higher Education, Skill Development, Information Technology, and Real-Time Governance, had his department clarify through the RTI that the minister paid for his 77 trips to Hyderabad from his own pocket.
"In 18 months as a minister, Nara Lokesh did not take even a single rupee from the government for helicopters/special flights used for his tours. In 60 months as Chief Minister, Jagan spent Rs.222 crores from the government treasury for helicopters/special flights used for his tours," TDP wrote on X, sharing the copy of the responce of the RTI and the documents related to the cost of air travel during YSRCP government.
