Foreign travel of Government officers – Clarification issued by Finance Ministry

Foreign travel of Government officers – Clarification issued by Finance Ministry

No. 7(1)/E.Coord/2014
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi
10th November 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: International travel – clarification regarding.

Guidelines/instructions on the subject of international travels have been issued by this Department from time to time. Latest instructions on the subject have been issued vide this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 29.10.2014 [Paragraph 2.4 refers]. In order to clarify the subject further, following instructions on international travels are reiterated for compliance —

(i) Proposals for participation in conferences seminars conventions! workshops/study tours/presentation of papers abroad at Government cost will not be entertained except those that are fully funded by sponsoring/inviting organizations which may be considered keeping in mind the public interest and Government business at home.

(ii) No officer should undertake more than four (4) official visits abroad in a calendar year. For visits exceeding four by an officer, detailed justification would need to be furnished and such visit would be allowed only in exceptional cases depending on functional need.

(iii) The size of the delegation and the duration of visit shall be kept to the absolute minimum. The Administrative Secretary shall make sure that in every case officers of appropriate functional level dealing with the subject are sponsored / deputed instead of those at higher levels. Visits at the level of Secretaries should be planned only if their presence ¡s essential and officers of or the level of Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary can not substitute them for the PL1POSC of enunciating Government 1)olieieslsta nd point.

(iv) Foreign travel of Government officers at the cost of PSUs/PSEs is discouraged, unless the journey is undertaken speciticaly in connection with the affairs of the PSU/PSE. Specific reasons for charging the expenditure to the PSU/PSE on account of foreign traveL must be spelt out in the proposal. Wherever expenditure on the visit of Government officers is
borne by PSU/PSE, the entitlements of the officers shall remain sanie as his entitlements under Government Rules/regulations/norms/instructions.

2. This issues with the approval of Secretary (Expenditure).

sd/-
(N.Radhakrishnan)
Director

Source: www.finmin.nic.in
[http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/foreign_deputation/International_travel_Clarification10112014.pdf]