Main Article - Sep, 2006
FOREIGN TRAVEL OF OFFICIALS, NON-OFFICIALS AND SPONSORED DELEGATIONS
Ch. Srinivasa Rao
Under Secretary, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi
Introduction
The Prime Minister while advocating austerity observed that there had been an unwarranted increase in foreign travel by Union Ministers and other senior functionaries of the Govt. of India as well as of the State Govts. Apart from causing severe strain on the public exchequer, frequent and prolonged foreign travel by various Govt. functionaries leads to dislocation and delays in disposal of work.
His observation has been quite timely. It is imperative that while processing the proposals for foreign travel, the guidelines issued by the Govt. of India on travel abroad of Govt. Officials and Official delegations are required to be borne in mind.
Proposals for deputation
Proposals in prescribed pro forma have to be submitted to the appropriate authority depending upon the level of the person who is proposed to be deputed abroad for consideration for being considered by the Directors of respective CSIR Labs./Instts./ Director-General/Vice-President, CSIR.
Deficiencies in proposals
Most common deficiencies that are being noticed while scrutinizing proposals relating to foreign visits:
a) non-observance of the ban on foreign travel to attend conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. sponsored by private, non-governmental organizations;
b) submission of proposals even when there is no provision or having inadequate provision in the budget; and
c) submission of proposals requesting that expenditure on foreign travel which is supposed to be met by external agencies for being supplemented by CSIR/GoI.
Austerity measures
In order to effect austerity, GoI have decided that there must be strict adherence to budgetary ceilings. Financial Advisers will be directly accountable for deviations of expenditure from the prescribed ceilings without proper authorisation. Unless additional allocations have been agreed to for exceptional reasons, no additional funds will be provided.
1. All seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. which could be avoided may be postponed to the next financial year even when a budget provision is made.
2. Visits abroad for study tours, workshops, seminars, etc. funded by the GoI may be discouraged except for annual and other formal meetings of bilateral/multilateral bodies, viz. IMF, WB, WHO, ILO, Joint Commissions, etc.
Delegation of powers
The GB, CSIR has empowered the Directors of Labs,/Instt. to sanction visits/ deputation abroad of their Scientists up to the level of Scientist F [Gr. IV(5)] of the following nature:
1. Foreign visits of CSIR Scientists for attending Conferences
2. Visits under Bilateral Exchange Programmes, if already approved as part of the programme by DST/CSIR or other GoI Departments
3. Training including bilateral technical assistance projects
4. Equipment training
5. Assignments:
Assignments on Foreign Service terms
Assignments on leave due and admissible
Assignments on Extraordinary Leave
6. Fellowships/Scholarships:
Prestigious Fellowships recognized by CSIR
Fellowships/Scholarships offered through nodal Ministries of GoI
7. Study Leave abroad
8. Sabbatical Leave abroad
9. Oceanographic cruises
- The Oceanographic cruises have to be treated as ad hoc visits and the expenditure has to be borne by the sponsoring agency/Laboratory within the frame work of the Guidelines on Deputation.
The above delegation is subject to:
1. The proposals are in accordance with the CSIR Foreign Deputation Guidelines
2. Necessary Budget provision has been made available. The Labs. will ensure that the expenditure on foreign travel will be regulated on quarterly basis and un-utilised portion of budget in a quarter may be carried forward to next quarter in the same financial year. However, if the Directors desire to utilize more than 1/4th of budget in the first or second quarter, concurrence of FA, CSIR needs to be obtained.
3. In case of visits under sponsored projects, either the visits should have been agreed as a component of the project or concurrence of funding organisation may be obtained by the Lab. before clearing the visit.
4. No diversion of funds from any other budget head is permissible
Accepting Invitations
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance is the political and administrative focal point for all dealings with external funding agencies. It is, therefore, necessary that external agencies must route all policy and project proposals/ collaborative functions such as conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. related to the States and the Central Ministries only through the Department. Apart from being mandated, this requirement is also necessary in the interest of evolving a common policy and approach for similar issues in different parts of the country.
External agencies have from time to time been inviting Officers of the Central/State Governments to participate in various workshops/training/seminars/conferences that are held abroad. Approval of the DEA is necessary for any officer to participate in any programme. All communications/invitations should therefore be addressed to the DEA only.
Officers of the Govt. of India/CSIR should not accept invitations from foreign Governments/Governmental agencies, private commercial organisations, private bodies/ trusts, etc. without the prior approval of the appropriate authority.
In cases where an invitation is received without specifying a particular name or designation and if the choice of nominating someone is left to the Government/CSIR, there should no objection to accept to and fro international fare and hospitality offered by the foreign government provided that the participation of the Officer concerned is essential.
If the deputation is covered under a bilateral agreement or under a regular exchange programme, the cost of travel, etc. could be met by foreign sponsors. Similarly, there is no bar in accepting international fare and hospitality from an International Body of which India is a Member.
In case where the invitation is accepted and the Officer is sponsored on deputation, the mode and class of travel, payment of cash allowance and other allowances including local travel and stay in hotels would be as per the terms offered by the foreign Government/sponsors. The terms of deputation of GoI need not be insisted upon in such cases.
In cases where hospitality abroad is proposed to be accepted, clearance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act, 1976 is necessary. However, such clearance is not required when the Govt. delegates receive invitations in their capacity as Chairman, Members of the Committee/ delegates/ advisers/consultants to the International Bodies of which India is a Member.
The Official who has been deputed abroad either individually or in a delegation should immediately on return from tour abroad submit a brief note to inform all the major achievements of his mission, in addition to the detailed report of the delegation.
Invitation as a Resource Person
For a resource person outside of the Govt., invitation may be extended directly under intimation to DEA. In case the resource person is already identified for the reasons of his pre-eminent expertise in an area and is a Govt. functionary, invitation may be extended to the individual through DEA, and copy may be endorsed to the individual.
In case the resource person is expected to present a view point or make a presentation on a specific sector or project or policy of the Govt., a request should be sent to DEA for nominating one or more suitable Officers for such presentations.
Foreign hospitality
Proposals relating to acceptance of foreign hospitality may be considered on the following lines:
a) cases where the invitation is received by the GoI which selects an Officer to attend such a workshop/to present a paper/to deliver lecture, etc. may be treated as on official deputation;
b) in cases where the invitation is received by the Officer directly in his personal capacity, the Officer should be treated as on personal visit and he may be permitted to proceed abroad on leave;
c) generally no GoI Officer should accept free passage or hospitality from a foreign Government/Agency. Wherever it is necessary to accept such a hospitality, approval of the appropriate authority has to be obtained; and
d) as regards accepting remuneration or honorarium the orders given under SR-11 and SR-12 should be strictly followed.
Contact with Embassies
Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India as well as of State Governments and Union Territories must follow the guidelines laid down from time to time by the Cabinet Secretary regarding contacts with foreign missions and diplomats in India. It is desirable to keep the concerned Territorial Division informed prior to meeting the Diplomats of foreign Embassies/High Commissions in Delhi.
Allowances payable
The following allowances are payable to the Minister, Secretaries, Addl. Secretaries, and others as per the rates given hereunder:
Entertainment Allowance:
Minister … Rs.20000/-
Secretary to the Govt. of India … Rs.10000/-
Addl. Secretary … Rs.6000/-
Contingent expenditure:
Delegation led by Ministers … Rs.500/- per day
Delegation led by Secretaries … Rs.400/- per day
Other delegations … Rs.200/- per day
Visitors to India
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)/Indian Missions abroad should be kept informed about the official visits to India from abroad. Passport details of the members of the delegation should be sent to Indian Missions abroad for issue of visas. The concerned Ministries should also inform the visitors/delegation to get in touch with the Indian Mission.
A letter of invitation clearly specifying the number of people invited, duration of stay in India, terms of offer of the invitation as to whether both local hospitality and international airfare is being offered or the invitation is confined to local hospitality, is required to be sent by the host-Ministry/Department through MEA/Indian Mission abroad. The programme in India should be drawn up keeping in mind the type and level of treatment meted out to a similar Indian delegation that might have visited that country on earlier occasion. The level at which the delegation should be met and the details of VVIP visitors whom the delegation may call on should be finalized in consultation with MEA.
On making a request, the MEA will provide a country-note and political briefs for all levels of visitors. For very high level visitors MEA may even suggest talking points and points to be included in speeches, etc.
In respect of other visitors, the concerned Ministry will have to formulate talking points according to the subject of the discussion and incorporating the points mentioned in the political brief supplied by MEA. MEA must be kept fully in the picture for any agreement which may have any bilateral or multilateral implications. Any agreement/ MOU/Protocol/Memorandum of Consultation envisaged during the visit abroad should have to be got cleared by MEA in advance.
All arrangements for the visitors have to be made by the receiving side, if necessary, in consultation with Protocol Division of MEA in respect of Delhi; and for visits outside Delhi with the State Government Protocol Division. MEA must be consulted on level of the visitor(s), and its advice on these matter is binding, even if the Embassy/High Commission of the visiting delegation feels otherwise.
Private visits abroad
The Ministries/Departments of GoI must ensure that Govt. servants take prior permission before leaving for abroad. The Govt. servant is required to furnish information relating to the proposed visit including the previous visits, if any, as per the prescribed pro forma. The leave sanctioning authority while granting leave shall take prior approval from the superior authority, if required, for permitting the Officer to go abroad.
Territorial Divisions
The following are the broad territorial divisions for the purpose of handling cases by the MEA:
IPA Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran
BSM Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives
ASEAN-SOUTH EAST ASIA Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam
NORTH-EAST Nepal, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong and Mangolia
CENTRAL ASIA Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhakistan and Turkey
GULF Kuwait, Iraq, Baharein, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yaman and United Arab Emirates
WANA Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, Sharawi Arab Republic and State of Palestine
AFRICA African countries excluding countries of North Africa under WANA Division
EUROPE-EAST Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovac Republic, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and countries of former Yugoslavia
EUROPE-WEST UK, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Iceland
AMS Canada and the USA
LAC Mexico, Central American countries, Caribbean countries and South American countries
UN Matters related with United Nations
References
1. Cabinet Secretary, GoI Lr. No. 55/2/1/93-Cab. dt. 15-7-1993; CSIR Endt. No. 21/ Misc/93/ISC.II dt. 27-7-1993
2. GOI Cabinet Secretary O.M.No.21/1/7/94-Cab. dt. 30-3-1995
3. GI MOF (DOE) OM No. F.19(1)-E.II(A)/98 dt. 20-8-1998; CSIR Lr. No.17(230)/98-E.II dt. 23-9-1998
4. GOI Cabinet Secretariat O.M.No.1/19/1/2000-Cab. dt. 5-2-2001
5. GoI MOF DEA D.O. No.12(51)-2001-EEC(Coord.) dated 12-7-2001
6. GOI MOF (DOE) Note F.No.19036/10/2001-E.IV dt. nil
7. Cabinet Secretary, GoI D.O. No.19036/10/E.IV-2001 dt. 8-1-2002
8. GI DOPT OM No.11013/7/2004-Estt.(A) dt.5-10-2004; Swamysnews, Dec.2004, 11-12; CSIR Lr. No. 22-1(1)/2005-ISTAD dt. 3-2-2005
9. CSIR Lr. No. 22-1(2)/2005-ISTAD dt. 16-3-2005
Ch. Srinivasa Rao
Under Secretary, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi
Introduction
The Prime Minister while advocating austerity observed that there had been an unwarranted increase in foreign travel by Union Ministers and other senior functionaries of the Govt. of India as well as of the State Govts. Apart from causing severe strain on the public exchequer, frequent and prolonged foreign travel by various Govt. functionaries leads to dislocation and delays in disposal of work.
His observation has been quite timely. It is imperative that while processing the proposals for foreign travel, the guidelines issued by the Govt. of India on travel abroad of Govt. Officials and Official delegations are required to be borne in mind.
Proposals for deputation
Proposals in prescribed pro forma have to be submitted to the appropriate authority depending upon the level of the person who is proposed to be deputed abroad for consideration for being considered by the Directors of respective CSIR Labs./Instts./ Director-General/Vice-President, CSIR.
Deficiencies in proposals
Most common deficiencies that are being noticed while scrutinizing proposals relating to foreign visits:
a) non-observance of the ban on foreign travel to attend conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. sponsored by private, non-governmental organizations;
b) submission of proposals even when there is no provision or having inadequate provision in the budget; and
c) submission of proposals requesting that expenditure on foreign travel which is supposed to be met by external agencies for being supplemented by CSIR/GoI.
Austerity measures
In order to effect austerity, GoI have decided that there must be strict adherence to budgetary ceilings. Financial Advisers will be directly accountable for deviations of expenditure from the prescribed ceilings without proper authorisation. Unless additional allocations have been agreed to for exceptional reasons, no additional funds will be provided.
1. All seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. which could be avoided may be postponed to the next financial year even when a budget provision is made.
2. Visits abroad for study tours, workshops, seminars, etc. funded by the GoI may be discouraged except for annual and other formal meetings of bilateral/multilateral bodies, viz. IMF, WB, WHO, ILO, Joint Commissions, etc.
Delegation of powers
The GB, CSIR has empowered the Directors of Labs,/Instt. to sanction visits/ deputation abroad of their Scientists up to the level of Scientist F [Gr. IV(5)] of the following nature:
1. Foreign visits of CSIR Scientists for attending Conferences
2. Visits under Bilateral Exchange Programmes, if already approved as part of the programme by DST/CSIR or other GoI Departments
3. Training including bilateral technical assistance projects
4. Equipment training
5. Assignments:
Assignments on Foreign Service terms
Assignments on leave due and admissible
Assignments on Extraordinary Leave
6. Fellowships/Scholarships:
Prestigious Fellowships recognized by CSIR
Fellowships/Scholarships offered through nodal Ministries of GoI
7. Study Leave abroad
8. Sabbatical Leave abroad
9. Oceanographic cruises
- The Oceanographic cruises have to be treated as ad hoc visits and the expenditure has to be borne by the sponsoring agency/Laboratory within the frame work of the Guidelines on Deputation.
The above delegation is subject to:
1. The proposals are in accordance with the CSIR Foreign Deputation Guidelines
2. Necessary Budget provision has been made available. The Labs. will ensure that the expenditure on foreign travel will be regulated on quarterly basis and un-utilised portion of budget in a quarter may be carried forward to next quarter in the same financial year. However, if the Directors desire to utilize more than 1/4th of budget in the first or second quarter, concurrence of FA, CSIR needs to be obtained.
3. In case of visits under sponsored projects, either the visits should have been agreed as a component of the project or concurrence of funding organisation may be obtained by the Lab. before clearing the visit.
4. No diversion of funds from any other budget head is permissible
Accepting Invitations
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance is the political and administrative focal point for all dealings with external funding agencies. It is, therefore, necessary that external agencies must route all policy and project proposals/ collaborative functions such as conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. related to the States and the Central Ministries only through the Department. Apart from being mandated, this requirement is also necessary in the interest of evolving a common policy and approach for similar issues in different parts of the country.
External agencies have from time to time been inviting Officers of the Central/State Governments to participate in various workshops/training/seminars/conferences that are held abroad. Approval of the DEA is necessary for any officer to participate in any programme. All communications/invitations should therefore be addressed to the DEA only.
Officers of the Govt. of India/CSIR should not accept invitations from foreign Governments/Governmental agencies, private commercial organisations, private bodies/ trusts, etc. without the prior approval of the appropriate authority.
In cases where an invitation is received without specifying a particular name or designation and if the choice of nominating someone is left to the Government/CSIR, there should no objection to accept to and fro international fare and hospitality offered by the foreign government provided that the participation of the Officer concerned is essential.
If the deputation is covered under a bilateral agreement or under a regular exchange programme, the cost of travel, etc. could be met by foreign sponsors. Similarly, there is no bar in accepting international fare and hospitality from an International Body of which India is a Member.
In case where the invitation is accepted and the Officer is sponsored on deputation, the mode and class of travel, payment of cash allowance and other allowances including local travel and stay in hotels would be as per the terms offered by the foreign Government/sponsors. The terms of deputation of GoI need not be insisted upon in such cases.
In cases where hospitality abroad is proposed to be accepted, clearance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act, 1976 is necessary. However, such clearance is not required when the Govt. delegates receive invitations in their capacity as Chairman, Members of the Committee/ delegates/ advisers/consultants to the International Bodies of which India is a Member.
The Official who has been deputed abroad either individually or in a delegation should immediately on return from tour abroad submit a brief note to inform all the major achievements of his mission, in addition to the detailed report of the delegation.
Invitation as a Resource Person
For a resource person outside of the Govt., invitation may be extended directly under intimation to DEA. In case the resource person is already identified for the reasons of his pre-eminent expertise in an area and is a Govt. functionary, invitation may be extended to the individual through DEA, and copy may be endorsed to the individual.
In case the resource person is expected to present a view point or make a presentation on a specific sector or project or policy of the Govt., a request should be sent to DEA for nominating one or more suitable Officers for such presentations.
Foreign hospitality
Proposals relating to acceptance of foreign hospitality may be considered on the following lines:
a) cases where the invitation is received by the GoI which selects an Officer to attend such a workshop/to present a paper/to deliver lecture, etc. may be treated as on official deputation;
b) in cases where the invitation is received by the Officer directly in his personal capacity, the Officer should be treated as on personal visit and he may be permitted to proceed abroad on leave;
c) generally no GoI Officer should accept free passage or hospitality from a foreign Government/Agency. Wherever it is necessary to accept such a hospitality, approval of the appropriate authority has to be obtained; and
d) as regards accepting remuneration or honorarium the orders given under SR-11 and SR-12 should be strictly followed.
Contact with Embassies
Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India as well as of State Governments and Union Territories must follow the guidelines laid down from time to time by the Cabinet Secretary regarding contacts with foreign missions and diplomats in India. It is desirable to keep the concerned Territorial Division informed prior to meeting the Diplomats of foreign Embassies/High Commissions in Delhi.
Allowances payable
The following allowances are payable to the Minister, Secretaries, Addl. Secretaries, and others as per the rates given hereunder:
Entertainment Allowance:
Minister … Rs.20000/-
Secretary to the Govt. of India … Rs.10000/-
Addl. Secretary … Rs.6000/-
Contingent expenditure:
Delegation led by Ministers … Rs.500/- per day
Delegation led by Secretaries … Rs.400/- per day
Other delegations … Rs.200/- per day
Visitors to India
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)/Indian Missions abroad should be kept informed about the official visits to India from abroad. Passport details of the members of the delegation should be sent to Indian Missions abroad for issue of visas. The concerned Ministries should also inform the visitors/delegation to get in touch with the Indian Mission.
A letter of invitation clearly specifying the number of people invited, duration of stay in India, terms of offer of the invitation as to whether both local hospitality and international airfare is being offered or the invitation is confined to local hospitality, is required to be sent by the host-Ministry/Department through MEA/Indian Mission abroad. The programme in India should be drawn up keeping in mind the type and level of treatment meted out to a similar Indian delegation that might have visited that country on earlier occasion. The level at which the delegation should be met and the details of VVIP visitors whom the delegation may call on should be finalized in consultation with MEA.
On making a request, the MEA will provide a country-note and political briefs for all levels of visitors. For very high level visitors MEA may even suggest talking points and points to be included in speeches, etc.
In respect of other visitors, the concerned Ministry will have to formulate talking points according to the subject of the discussion and incorporating the points mentioned in the political brief supplied by MEA. MEA must be kept fully in the picture for any agreement which may have any bilateral or multilateral implications. Any agreement/ MOU/Protocol/Memorandum of Consultation envisaged during the visit abroad should have to be got cleared by MEA in advance.
All arrangements for the visitors have to be made by the receiving side, if necessary, in consultation with Protocol Division of MEA in respect of Delhi; and for visits outside Delhi with the State Government Protocol Division. MEA must be consulted on level of the visitor(s), and its advice on these matter is binding, even if the Embassy/High Commission of the visiting delegation feels otherwise.
Private visits abroad
The Ministries/Departments of GoI must ensure that Govt. servants take prior permission before leaving for abroad. The Govt. servant is required to furnish information relating to the proposed visit including the previous visits, if any, as per the prescribed pro forma. The leave sanctioning authority while granting leave shall take prior approval from the superior authority, if required, for permitting the Officer to go abroad.
Territorial Divisions
The following are the broad territorial divisions for the purpose of handling cases by the MEA:
IPA Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran
BSM Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives
ASEAN-SOUTH EAST ASIA Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam
NORTH-EAST Nepal, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong and Mangolia
CENTRAL ASIA Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhakistan and Turkey
GULF Kuwait, Iraq, Baharein, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yaman and United Arab Emirates
WANA Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, Sharawi Arab Republic and State of Palestine
AFRICA African countries excluding countries of North Africa under WANA Division
EUROPE-EAST Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovac Republic, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and countries of former Yugoslavia
EUROPE-WEST UK, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Iceland
AMS Canada and the USA
LAC Mexico, Central American countries, Caribbean countries and South American countries
UN Matters related with United Nations
References
1. Cabinet Secretary, GoI Lr. No. 55/2/1/93-Cab. dt. 15-7-1993; CSIR Endt. No. 21/ Misc/93/ISC.II dt. 27-7-1993
2. GOI Cabinet Secretary O.M.No.21/1/7/94-Cab. dt. 30-3-1995
3. GI MOF (DOE) OM No. F.19(1)-E.II(A)/98 dt. 20-8-1998; CSIR Lr. No.17(230)/98-E.II dt. 23-9-1998
4. GOI Cabinet Secretariat O.M.No.1/19/1/2000-Cab. dt. 5-2-2001
5. GoI MOF DEA D.O. No.12(51)-2001-EEC(Coord.) dated 12-7-2001
6. GOI MOF (DOE) Note F.No.19036/10/2001-E.IV dt. nil
7. Cabinet Secretary, GoI D.O. No.19036/10/E.IV-2001 dt. 8-1-2002
8. GI DOPT OM No.11013/7/2004-Estt.(A) dt.5-10-2004; Swamysnews, Dec.2004, 11-12; CSIR Lr. No. 22-1(1)/2005-ISTAD dt. 3-2-2005
9. CSIR Lr. No. 22-1(2)/2005-ISTAD dt. 16-3-2005
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