Foreign Tour by Government Employees

Foreign Tour by Government Employees

 GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL 

HOME (P & AR) DEPARTMENT

No. 974-PAR (Vig).      Kolkata, the 25th July, 2000

From :

Shri Manish Gupta

 Chief Secretary to the

Government of West Bengal

 

To :

The Principal Secretary/Secretary

 Finance Department

On careful consideration, it has been decided that henceforth the Cadre Controlling Authority (CCA), in the respective Government Department, will issue ‘Vigilance Clearance to the Officers belonging to the respective services for the following purposes:

'A'

(i) For Granting NOC (No Objection Certificate) for obtaining of passports. (ii) For according permission to travel abroad either in a personal or official capacity.

(iii) For awarding promotion.

(iv) For recommendation of medal/award, and

(v) For voluntary retirement/retirement. 

The above will not apply in the following cases :

'B'

 (a) Officers under suspension. 

(b) Officers in respect of whom disciplinary/criminal proceedings have been instituted and are pending. 

(c) Where the Disciplinary Authority has taken a decision to institute disciplinary proceedings against the Officer.

Sd/- Manish Gupta

Chief Secretary

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GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL

 PERSONNEL & ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS DEPARTMENT TRAINING CELL 

WRITERS' BUILDING, KOLKATA-700 001

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

From : Shri S. N. Roy I.A.S. 

Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal 

To : The Principal Secretary / Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, ---------------Department 

No. 466-PAR(Trg)/IR/0/97-112/97  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 while undertakings foreign visits by the State Government officials. In view of the prevailing economy measures, it is reiterated that only such foreignt visits should be undertaken which are of utmost necessity and which will lead to improvement in productivity, resurgence of industrial investment and growth of promotion of tourism prospects in the State.

2. In order to avoid complication arising out of violation in the procedural norms regarding foreign visits to be undertaken by the officers of the State Government, Semi or Quasi-Government 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-Government organisations and such other organisations which are funded by the State Government are meaningful coordinated and productive, it has been decieded that the following points should be borne in mind by the departmental Secretaries while sending the proposals of foreign visits :

(i) In cases of Delegations, it must be ensured that the Delegations are compact in size and comprising only the technical 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 embarressment. 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 India and shall apply to all employees of the State Government Statutory bodies. Undertakings Corporations etc. In no circumstances should these proposals be processed directly by the Departments concerned or sent to the Government of India directly for clearance. 

(iii) Visits on Invitations from the N. G. Os. shall not be undertaken unless the Indian Mission in the country concerned specifically recommends 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 U.N. 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-Government Organisations along with the duly filled in particulars in the prescribed proforma enclosed in the Annexure1, should be sent by the concerned Department 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 any 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 visit 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, 1970. 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 employee(s) 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 ;

(viii) 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 M.I.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

ANNEXURE-I

(To be submitted by the incumbent)

DECLARATION IN CONNECTION WITH FOREIGN VISIT

1. Name of the officer :

2. Service of the officer /Department :

3. Designation :

4. Name of the country / countries to be visited.:

5. Period of the proposed visit with specific dates :

 6. Purpose of the visit :

7.Nature of visit . 

(official / private) :

8. Who will bear the cost of airfare :

(i) If self, mention source like

salary savings etc. or

 (ii) If organization, details

thereof, or

(iii) If individual, state the name, nationality and relation with the officer.

9. Who will bear the cost of board and lodging and travel during visit :

(i) If self, mention source like salary savings etc. or

(ii) If organization, details thereof, or

(iii) If individual, state the name, nationality and relation with the officer

10. Whether the officer will accept foreign hospitality during his / her stay abroad, if so, details thereof :

11. Whether the officer will accept any foreign employment / profession during his / her stay abroad, if so, details thereof :

12. Whether the officer will undergo any foreign training / workshop / seminar etc. programme while stay abroad, if so, details thereof 

13. Whether the officer will accept any scholarship / award etc. in connection with his / her visit abroad.

I undertake that :

(1) I shall not visit abroad unless I get permission from the Government, and

(2) I shall return and resume my official duty immediately after expiry of leave to be granted for the purpose.

The above statements are true to the best of my knowledge and, if found incorrect, I shall be personally liable for the same.

Date :              Signature: