Hyderabad: Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu is planning to purchase a helicopter at a cost of Rs. 70 crore, according to sources.

The idea is to help him reach his state by air from Hyderabad at short notice, sources said.

It may be noted that Naidu, who is the chief minister of a cash-strapped state, has been a frequent flyer across the globe in search of investments to Andhra Pradesh, sources said.

As of now, Naidu has been chartering private choppers and jet planes to travel from the joint capital in Hyderabad to New Delhi and the various districts in the state. In the last eight months, these travels had cost the state exchequer at least Rs. 15 crore, sources stated.

Therefore, Naidu is believed to have held talks with Airbus officials and had even tested a 30-seater aircraft and a 14-seater helicopter belonging to Boeing company, sources said.