Cabinet approves 30 foreign visits of the PM and ministers in three and a half months

In the last three and a half months period, 30 foreign visits of ministers including Prime Minister have been approved by the Council of Ministers. Foreign visits of ministers have been approved by the Cabinet from last July/Aug to October, 29, 2024. Among them, two with the Prime Minister and the remaining 28 foreign visits involving ministers have been approved. The last cabinet meeting approved three foreign visits. The Prime Minister’s visit to China has been scheduled from December 2 to 5, 2024.

Many foreign visits have been approved of Arju Rana Deuba and Health and Population Minister Pradip Paudel. Rana’s foreign visits to Canada, Qatar and India and Paudel’s foreign visits to Germany, Indonesia and India have been approved by the Cabinet. Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel’s visit to visit America and Uzbekistan has been approved. Two foreign visits to the Philippines and Saudi Arabia have been approved for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Devendra Dahal. Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Nawalkisor Shah Sudi has also been approved for a visit to Qatar and Colombia. Youth and Sports Minister Tejulal Chaudhary has been approved for a visit to Russia and France.

 In the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Minister Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri has been approved for a foreign visit to Colombia and Minister of State Rupa Bk for Azerbaijan and Indonesia. Labor and Employment Minister Saratsingh Bhandari’s visit to Japan and Spain has been approved. Similarly, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey and Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supply Damodar Bhandari have been approved for two visits each to India.

Ministers themselves have gone on foreign visits by interfering with their subordinates. This has not only worsened the quality of foreign travel, but also increased unnecessary expenses. Civil servants and secretariat staff are also taken along with ministers on many foreign visits. This adds unnecessary financial burden to the national coffer