Tough for government officers to go abroad
Four foreign visits for an officer in a year, seeking “justification” for visit of members
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has begun its austerity drive with the first step towards tightening norms for foreign junkets for bureaucrats. Visits abroad will no longer be a cakewalk for government servants with the ministry of finance bringing out a fresh circular this month setting tough rules for foreign tours and deputation abroad being undertaken by bureaucrats.
The Centre has set a cap of four foreign visits for an officer in a year, seeking “justification” for the visit of each member in a delegation and why “video-conferencing facility” cannot be utilised for interacting with foreign counterparts.
The past record of bureaucrats flying abroad and furnishing “quantified outcomes” for undertaking such a visit have been made mandatory. The move comes soon after enforcing strict discipline for ministers embarking on overseas travel.
In a circular issued July 2 to all secretaries in the Central government, the finance ministry has framed a 19-point pro forma mandating bureaucrats to furnish details before they can embark on a foreign tour.