Jharkhand to start producing commercial pilots in six months

Ranchi: If speed of movement of files and negotiations matches with that of will-power and interests of the government on the matter, Jharkhand will start producing professional pilots in not more than six months. Civil Aviation Department Director Captain Surendra Prasad Sinha said on Monday that the process of upgrading existing Glider Pilot License (GPL) course into Commercial Pilot License (CPL) course is expected to be completed within next three months and commencement of maiden CPL course batch must not take more than another six months from now.

“We have got in principle nod from the government for running CPL course some time ago. The upgraded centre(s) will be run under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode keeping cost factor for the course and resource limitation of the government to fund such affairs. I am sure we will have one such partner in two-three months and maiden batch of CPL will commence, most probably in Dumka, in six months from now,” said Captain Sinha on the day who is also chief of the project. Notably, GPL course in Ranchi is in existence since 1997 which was extended to Deoghar in 2013 which was shifted to Dumka this year itself keeping upcoming airport in Deoghar in mind. The subsidized course fee for GPL here in Jharkhand is only Rs 50,000 for around 25 hours of flying training spread in one year of time in comparison to other flying clubs in India which charge not less than around Rs 5 Lakh for same course.

“Moreover, GPL course fee here for Schedule Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (SC/ST/OBC) is only Rs 25,000 and is completely free for primitive tribal kids of the State like Pahadia and Birhor. Unlike around two dozen other flying clubs which charge anywhere around Rs 20-50 Lakh for CPL, I am sure we will keep it below Rs 10 lakh here in the State,” said Sinha.

He said that upgradation of the course would save considerable expense of the government which keeps on sending talented backward class students to acquire CPL from other flying clubs on expense of its own through the Welfare Department.
23/12/17 Sanjeev Jha/Pioneer