In his two-and-a-half-year tenure as the Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah hired a helicopter or an aircraft every five days to travel with his Cabinet colleagues to various parts of the state or to New Delhi. According to data shared in response to a question in the Legislative Council, aircraft or helicopters were booked 181 times for Siddaramaiah’s travel.
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Data shows that the total expense incurred for these flights was Rs 47.38 crore, starting from May 26, 2023, days after Siddaramaiah became CM, until November 11, 2025. The details were provided in response to a question by BJP MLC N Ravikumar.
Siddaramaiah, in a written response to the unstarred question, noted that payments for the use of 48 aircraft/helicopter was made in the 2023-24 fiscal. The cost incurred for the flights was 12.23 crore.
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Subsequently, in the 2024-25 fiscal, bills were cleared for the rental of aircraft or helicopters 85 times, costing the state exchequer Rs 21.11 crore. In the current fiscal year, bills for renting 48 aircraft/helicopters over six months were Rs 14.03 crore.
Data also shows that 180 of the 181 flights were booked through GMP Air Charters, while the remaining flight was booked through GoJets Aviation.
In his query, Ravikumar sought details on the reasons the CM has hired aircraft over the past two-and-a-half years.
Siddaramaiah, in his response, noted that renting out aircraft/helicopter for the official trips of the Governor, CM, and Chief Justice was exempt from the provisions of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act.
Siddaramaiah’s flight expenses
Total expenditure – Rs 47,38,24,347
Total flights – 181
Date-wise
2023-24 – Rs 12,23,44,365 – 48 flights
2024-25 – Rs 21,11,38,784 – 85 flights
April to November 2025 – Rs 14,03,41,198 – 48 flights