Bhubaneswar: The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has highlighted glaring irregularities in hiring and utilisation of aircraft and helicopter services by the Odisha govt, pointing to non-transparent procurement practices and avoidable expenditure running into crores of rupees.In its audit report covering the period from April 2019 to March 2024 (when BJD govt was there), the CAG observed that the state govt failed to secure the most competitive market rates for air services as it proceeded with the selection of a private service provider through a single-bidder process.According to the audit findings, the govt repeatedly extended its contract with M/s OSS Air Management Private Limited up to Aug 2024 despite absence of competitive bidding.The report noted that Odisha had framed rules governing the use of state-owned aircraft and helicopters for official purposes. However, instead of operating its own fleet, the govt relied on private air service providers for official travel.The audit described the selection process of M/s OSS Air Management Private Limited as non-transparent and stated that the govt did not ensure competitive price discovery before awarding the contract. Despite these shortcomings, the agency continued to provide aircraft and helicopter services to the state govt over several years.The CAG also flagged inefficient utilisation of already contracted aircraft services. “Between Jan 2019 and Nov 2023, the state govt hired chartered aircraft on 22 occasions for long-distance inter-state travel, incurring an expenditure of Rs 6.91 crore. This was done even though 751.34 committed flying hours remained unutilised in the aircraft already hired from M/s OSS during the same period,” the audit report revealed.Similarly, the audit pointed to questionable use of helicopter services. Between Sept 5, 2019 and March 21, 2023, the govt availed helicopter services from the same vendor for 100.90 flying hours on 29 occasions to travel to destinations within Odisha that had airstrips of 3,000 feet or more. The CAG noted that such journeys could have been undertaken using the contracted aircraft.The govt paid Rs 1.3 crore towards helicopter flying charges during this period, even though 566.44 unutilised committed flying hours of the hired aircraft were available. Had those aircraft hours been utilised, the expenditure on helicopter services could have been avoided, the audit report stated.Govt officials said in the previous BJD govt, helicopter and charter planes were being used for whirlwind tours of some particular officers showing as official trips.