FOREIGN TOUR
Government of West Bengal
Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department
Training Cell
Writers' Buildings
Kolkata-700 001
MEMORANDUM
No. 42-PAR(Trg)/HR/0/3T-11/2011
Dated, Kolkata, the 2nd February, 2011.
Subject: Procedure to be followed in connection with private foreign visits of employees of State Government, Semi or Quasi-Government organization including employees of Statutory bodies, Undertakings, Corporations, Companies, Cooperatives and institutions etc.
The procedure for permitting Government servants to visit foreign countries in private capacity has been liberalized by Government of India and now the leaves sanctioning authority grants the permission to the official concerned for private visits abroad.
In view of sharp increase in number of Government servants visiting foreign countries in private capacity, a need has been felt to liberalize the existing instructions of State Government in this regard.
Accordingly, in partial modification of the Order No. 466-PAR(Trg)HT/O/3T-112/97 dated July 18, 2003, following procedure would be adopted in case of private visits of Government servants to foreign countries:
(1) All categories of employees may be permitted to visit abroad in their private capacity, with the prior clearance of the authority competent to sanction their leave.
(2) The application shall be made to the competent authority in the attached proforma (Annexure-I) at least fifteen days before the commencement of such visit.
(3) The permission shall be granted by the leave sanctioning authority with a copy to the cadre controlling authority within seven days of receipt of such application. A standard format of permission is enclosed herewith (Annexure- II)
(4) In partial modification of Order No. 974-PAR(Vig.) dated Calcutta, July 25, 2000 of Home (P&AR) Department, Vigilance Clearance shall not be required for according permission to travel abroad in private capacity.
(5) For the purpose of clarification, private visit would mean the visits in which the entire expenditure is being borne by the officer concerned or his family members. The family means wife or husband, as the case may be, sons and daughters including adopted sons/daughters, mother and father.
Visits involving any kind of domestic/foreign sponsorship or acceptance of foreign hospitality on boarding, lodging or any other component of the vist shall continue to be governed by the earlier order.
Sd/-
(Samar Ghosh)
Chief Secretary
Government of West Bengal
______________________________________________________________________
Government of West Bengal
Personnel& Administrative Reforms Department
Training Cell
Writers' Buildings, Kolkata 700 001
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
From: Shri S.N. Roy, IAS,
Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal.
To: The Principal Secretary/ Secretary to the Government of West Bengal,
________________________________________
Department.
No.466() -PAR(Trg)/HR/O/3T-112/97
Dated Kolkata, the 18th July, 2003.
Sub: Procedure to be followed in connection with foreign visits of officials of State Government, Semi or Quasi-Government organisation including officers of Statutory bodies, Undertakings, Corporations, Companies, Cooperatives and institutions etc.
...............
It has been observed that the prescribed procedures and guidelines are not strictly followed whilevwhile by the State Government officials. In view of the prevailing economy measures, it is reiterated that only such foreign visits should be undertaken which are of utmost necessity and which will lead to improvement in productivity, resurgence of industrial investment and growth or promotion of tourism prospects in the State.
2. In order to avoid complication arising out of the violation in the procedural norms regarding foreign visits to be undertaken by the officers of the State Government, Semi- or Quasi-Gover nment organisations including officers of Statutory bodies, Undertakings, Corporations, Companies, Cooperative institutions etc., either in official capacity or in the private capacity, all the Departmental Secretaries are, once again, being reminded of ensuring strict compliance of the procedural norms as laid for official and private visits in this Office Memorandum in the paragraphs 3 and 4 respectively.
3. OFFICIAL VISIT:
3.A. In order to ensure that the foreign visits of the officials of the State Government Semi- or Quasi-Gover nment organisations and such other organisations which are funded by the State Government are meaningful, co-ordi nated and productive, it has been decided that the following points should be borne in mind by the departmental Secretaries while sending the proposals of foreign visits:-
i) In cases of Delegation, it must be ensured that the Delegations are compact in size and comprising only the techical personnel and Senior officers directly related with the subject matter. As far as possible, names proposed by the inviting agencies only should be forwarded for clearance.
ii) It has been observed that, in the past, some foreign visits were undertaken without proper clearance from either the State Government or from the Government of India causing avoidable embarrassment. It is, therefore, advised that the proposals of foreign visits should be initiated well ahead of such visits and they should reach the Under Secretary to the Government of West Bengal at least 6 weeks ahead of the proposed Visit. This time period is essential to get the necessary clearances from the State Finance Department, approval of the State Government and from the Government of Tndia and shall apply to all employees of the State Government, Statutory bodies, Undertakings, Corporations et. In no circumstances should these proposals be processed directy by the Departments concerned or sent to the Government of India directly for clearance.
iii) Visits on invitations from the NGOs shall not be undertaken unless the Indian Mission in the country concerned specifically recomımends the participation.
iv) General purpose study tours should not be recommended.
v)Pre-or Post-Conference study tours should be restricted to a maximum duration of 6 days.
vi) Foreign visits abroad on invitation from private sources organisations other than a foreign Government or International bodies (like the UN and its specialised agencies, "Recognised International Organisations from which invitations are received from Ministry of External Affairs) shall not be encouraged. Invitation letters should always be sent along with the proposal.
3.B. All proposals of official foreign visits of officers of all Groups of the State Government; Semi- or Quasi-Gover nment Organisations along with the duly filled in particulars in the prescribed proforma enclosed in the Annexure-I, should be sent by the concerned Departmet to the Under Secretary to the Government of West Bengal at least 6 (six) weeks ahead of the actual date of departure. The following facts should be clearly stated in the proposal:
i)Whether there is any vigilance case or disciplinary proceeding, (pending or under contemplation) against the officer(s);
ii) Whether the officer has been abroad earlier during the course of last three years and details thereof:
iii) Whether the approval of the Minister In-Charge or Minister of State of the Department, as the case may be, has been obtained;
iv) Justification for the visit; and
V) Whether there is ay financial involvement of the State Government, Semi- or Quasi- Government organisation, corporations etc
4. PRIVATE VISIT:
4.A. In terms of the existing procedure, all categories of employees of the State Government, Semi- or Quasi-Government organisation including officers of Statutory bodies, Undertakings, Corporations, Companies, Cooperatives and institutions etc. may be permitted to visit abroad, in their private capacity, with the prior clearance of the Personnel & A.R. Department and the approval of the Chief Secretary subject to fulfilment of the following conditions :-
i)No expenditure devolves on the Central or State Government;
ii) No vigilance case / disciplinary proceeding is either pending or under contemplation against them [in case of IAS / WBCS (Executive) officers vigilance clearance would be obtained from this Department];
iii) The visits do not involve acceptance of financial help in connection with the foreign visits from any individual of foreign nationality other than close relatives;
iv) The visits do not involve acceptance of foreign hospitality falling within the purview of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976. In case there is any acceptance of such hospitality, the Department concerned should obtain clearance from the FCRA Section of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, prior to undertaking the visit by an employee;
v) Prior clearance of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India from political angle should be obtained only in appropriate cases such as, participation in the seminar / workshop / international congress with acceptance of foreign hospitality;
vi) The Department concerned should ensure that the employeels) going abroad furnish undertaking to the effect that they would not accept any foreign assignment profession abroad for the purpose of earning money while staying abroad without prior permission of the Government
vii) The Department concerned should ensure that the employee(s) concerned should undertake not to undergo any foreign training fellowship programmes etc. while stay abroad without prior permission of the Government;
vii) The Department concerned should ensure that the concerned employee(s) submit undertaking(s) to return to duty in India immediately on expiry of leave, if any, granted to them prior to undertaking journey abroad;
ix) The Department concerned should ensure that the proposal of the foreign visit sent to this Department should have the approval of the Departmental MI.C or M.O.S., as the case may be.
4.B. Proposals in respect of Group-'B', Group-C and Group-'D' employees, for undertaking private visits abroad, need not be referred to the Personnel & A.R. Department for clearance, such proposals may be cleared by the Principal Secretary/ Secretary/ Head of the Departments after strictly observing the provisions laid down in the paragraph - 4.A.
5.All proposals of foreign visit (official or private) should be accompanied by declaration submitted by the employee(s) concerned in the enclosed prescribed proforma at Annexure-I.
6. Departmental Secretaries are also advised to circulate this letter among all the Directorates, Autonomous Organisations, Corporations functioning under their Departments for strict compliance.
Sd/-
(S.N. Roy)
Chief Secretary
Government of West Bengal
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