Shillong, June 10: The Meghalaya Government has placed all officially funded foreign visits by ministers, MLAs and government officials on hold for six months as part of a broader expenditure rationalisation and austerity initiative aimed at ensuring prudent management of public resources.
The decision, notified by the Personnel & A.R. (A) Department on June 1, was taken in the larger public interest and comes at a time when governments across the country are exercising fiscal prudence in view of emerging global economic uncertainties, including rising geopolitical tensions and pressures on foreign exchange resources.
According to the notification, all official foreign visits borne by the Government of Meghalaya involving ministers, MLAs and permanent or contractual government officials will remain suspended for six months from the date of issuance of the order.
The State Government said prudent management of public expenditure is essential to ensure that resources remain focused on priority sectors and developmental commitments.
As a consequence of the decision, eight proposed foreign study tours and exposure programmes involving around 63 to 68 officials and representatives from various departments have been deferred. The programmes covered areas such as governance, livestock development, climate-resilient water management, healthcare systems, project implementation, environmental management and electoral administration.
The postponed visits were planned for destinations including the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Argentina.
The government, however, clarified that the move should not be interpreted as a withdrawal from international engagement or knowledge-sharing initiatives. It described the measure as a temporary pause on expenditure-bearing overseas travel while maintaining focus on governance priorities within the state.
Officials said many of the intended learnings and collaborations would continue to be pursued through virtual engagements, technical partnerships and future opportunities once the restriction period ends.
The notification also makes it clear that the restriction will not apply to foreign visits that are fully funded by the Government of India or entirely sponsored by Multilateral Development Banks, subject to the requisite approvals from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
