Shillong: The Meghalaya government has suspended all new foreign travel proposals and cancelled all planned trips abroad by the chief minister following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's austerity announcement, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated in Shillong on Wednesday, May 27.
Chief Minister's Statement
"I had personally put on hold every single trip outside. I am very clear that we had to go as per the prime minister's direction as this is in the larger interest of the nation. I have stopped all foreign trips post prime minister's announcement," Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.
He clarified that only trips approved months earlier and cleared by the Centre were undertaken. "The programmes that had political as well as financial clearance before the PM's announcement went ahead, because such trips take three to four months, sometimes six months to prepare," he told reporters.
Current Delegations Abroad
Sangma explained that teams currently abroad left after all formalities were completed and that since the PM's announcement, the state did not approve any fresh requests. "Post Prime Minister's announcement, any new proposals for trips outside are not being entertained," he said.
"After he gave the announcement and asked the states not to send delegations, we have not cleared anyone. I have received close to about 7-8 new proposals and all of them have been put on hold," the chief minister added.
This decision aligns with the central government's austerity measures aimed at reducing unnecessary expenditures during challenging economic times. The Meghalaya government's move reflects a commitment to fiscal discipline and national priorities.
