Shillong, The Meghalaya government has put on hold all state-funded foreign visits by ministers, MLAs and officials for six months as part of an austerity drive aimed at rationalising expenditure and prioritising development spending.
The decision, taken in the larger public interest, comes amid growing global economic uncertainties, including rising geopolitical tensions and pressure on foreign exchange resources.
The notification by the general administration department stated that all official foreign visits of ministers, MLAs and officials of the state government, whether permanent or contractual, shall be on hold for six months.
As a result of the decision, eight proposed foreign study visits and exposure programmes involving around 63 to 68 officials and representatives from various departments have been deferred.
The postponed programmes were related to governance, livestock development, climate-resilient water management, healthcare systems, project implementation, environmental management and electoral administration.
The proposed visits were to destinations including the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Argentina.
However, the government said many of the intended learnings and collaborations would continue to be pursued through virtual engagements, technical partnerships and other avenues during the restriction period.
