Even though the Union government issued a memorandum to ministries and departments to keep expenditure low, in view of the continuing economic downturn and drought-like conditions in many parts of the country, foreign travel by ministers and bureaucrats is likely to continue.
As the finance ministry directive, issued on Monday, states that foreign travel to promote trade may be permitted, most ministries are expected to cite that line, a source pointed out.
When the finmin issued the memo, home minister P Chidambaram was on his way to the United States to discuss security-related issues, especially in the context of the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai last year. Chidambaram will be in New York and Washington during his four-day visit, his first to the US as home minister.
Commerce minister Anand Sharma, in Turkey for bilateral trade talks, is expected back on Wednesday. His next scheduled overseas trip is to Geneva in October, to carry forward the Doha talks. Before that, commerce ministry officials and World Trade
Organisation negotiators will head to Geneva in September to break the deadlock in the global free-trade talks. Recently, New Delhi had hosted representatives of over 30 countries for a mini-ministerial on the issue.
Textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran, recently in the US on an official visit, plans another soon. Around October-end or early November, Maran will tour Europe for roadshows, to attract FDI in the textile sector. A joint secretary in the textiles ministry is in South Africa on an official trip.
Communications minister A Raja, who has travelled across the world during the UPA-I regime, has an invite from the International Telecommunication Union to visit Geneva in October. It is not known if he has accepted the invite. The new secretary, Department of Telecommunications, will accompany Raja, as secretary Siddhartha Behura retires this month.
Mukherjee himself was in London last week on an official trip. He participated in the two-day G20 finance ministers’ and bank governors’ meeting to discuss the global financial crisis. Early next month, a large official delegation will visit London for the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games.
