Ministers now need Modi nod to avail foreign tours
2 Sep 2014 12:14 AM GMT
As per a government circular (a copy in possession with the Millennium Post), it is now mandatory to seek Modi’s permission in person from August onwards if any of his ministers or their personal secretaries or bureaucrats want to have an official foreign tour.
Sources said the prime minister was reportedly annoyed with the recent request of BJP leaders for foreign trips during the parliament session. While some were part of official junket, others claimed that they were invited to attend seminars.
Those who have informed the parliament for foreign trip during the session are BJP leaders Tarun Vijay, Ashwani Kumar, Anurag Thakur, Sanjay Jaiswal, and Kamlesh Paswan. Though their requests were turned down but their willingness actually irked the PM.
While inquiring over the age old tradition of ‘foreign junkets’ in the name of study tour — Prime Minister has observed that the guidelines related to such tours were not followed as per rule over the years.
‘Proposals related to visit abroad of central ministers; ministers of state etc will now have to require prior approval of the Prime Minister and the proposal should be sent to him directly. The proposal should incorporate details of the reason behind such tour and the expected outcome from the trip for the betterment of the nation,’ the circular reads.
Sources said, with additional instruction coming in from the Prime Minister including the outcome of such tour and how it will benefit the nation/its people, the format of the ‘Foreign Travel Performa’ has been changed to incorporate several questions, which the Modi personally wanted to know form their ministers who want to go abroad on junkets.
Not the least, even if some of the ministers manage to fulfill the criteria in the new format of ‘Foreign Travel Performa’ by mentioning ‘tall claims’, Prime Minister will continue to haunt them once they will return from the trip. As per the circular, now a post-visit report on the immediate outcome of the trip will be mandatory for ministers, which they have to submit directly to the Prime Minister.
Also, all the ministers were asked not to entertain private companies by visiting abroad on their expenses in the name of seminars, lecture or study tour. The circular reads, ‘Minister level visits abroad should be undertaken only in response to formal governmental invitations from the country concerned.’
‘Earlier, this was not mandatory and ministers used to enjoy throughout their trip on the taxpayers money and used to return India with their obscene shopping spree. With several complaints and controversies, Prime Minister has now decided to overlook the whole matter personally,’ BJP sources said.
Sources said the prime minister was reportedly annoyed with the recent request of BJP leaders for foreign trips during the parliament session. While some were part of official junket, others claimed that they were invited to attend seminars.
Those who have informed the parliament for foreign trip during the session are BJP leaders Tarun Vijay, Ashwani Kumar, Anurag Thakur, Sanjay Jaiswal, and Kamlesh Paswan. Though their requests were turned down but their willingness actually irked the PM.
While inquiring over the age old tradition of ‘foreign junkets’ in the name of study tour — Prime Minister has observed that the guidelines related to such tours were not followed as per rule over the years.
‘Proposals related to visit abroad of central ministers; ministers of state etc will now have to require prior approval of the Prime Minister and the proposal should be sent to him directly. The proposal should incorporate details of the reason behind such tour and the expected outcome from the trip for the betterment of the nation,’ the circular reads.
Sources said, with additional instruction coming in from the Prime Minister including the outcome of such tour and how it will benefit the nation/its people, the format of the ‘Foreign Travel Performa’ has been changed to incorporate several questions, which the Modi personally wanted to know form their ministers who want to go abroad on junkets.
Not the least, even if some of the ministers manage to fulfill the criteria in the new format of ‘Foreign Travel Performa’ by mentioning ‘tall claims’, Prime Minister will continue to haunt them once they will return from the trip. As per the circular, now a post-visit report on the immediate outcome of the trip will be mandatory for ministers, which they have to submit directly to the Prime Minister.
Also, all the ministers were asked not to entertain private companies by visiting abroad on their expenses in the name of seminars, lecture or study tour. The circular reads, ‘Minister level visits abroad should be undertaken only in response to formal governmental invitations from the country concerned.’
‘Earlier, this was not mandatory and ministers used to enjoy throughout their trip on the taxpayers money and used to return India with their obscene shopping spree. With several complaints and controversies, Prime Minister has now decided to overlook the whole matter personally,’ BJP sources said.
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