HELICOPTER SERVICES IN NORTH EASTERN STATES
In order to provide connectivity to remote areas of NER, Helicopter subsidy scheme is being administered by MHA in the NE States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur. It further aims to provide affordable passenger transport in NER, evacuation during natural calamities and for urgent medical evacuation etc. MHA bears expenditure of 75% of total cost of operation after deducting passenger recovery or flat 20% of actual operation cost, whichever is more. For the purpose of restricting subsidy, annual ceiling of flying hours has been fixed for the helicopter service operating in north eastern States.