Employees to disclose source of funds before going abroad:Govt

Central government employees going abroad need to disclose estimated expenditure and source of funds prior to their visits, according to a draft policy formed by the Centre.
Besides, they also need to give details of such trips taken by them during the past four years.
According to the draft policy formed by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the employees may be denied permission due to administrative exigencies and other factors.
The DoPT has also come out with a new proforma for seeking permission for foreign visits. Employees need to give details of period of travel, name of countries to be visited, purpose, estimated expenditure (travel, boarding, lodging, visa, miscellaneous, etc) and sources of funds.

They need to write in the proforma the details of foreign travel undertaken in the past four years, name of countries visited and purpose, it said.
"In case due to specific nature of work in a department, administrative exigencies or some adverse factors against the government servant etc., it is not expedient to grant permission to the government servant, such decision for refusal should not be taken below the level of head of department.

"It may be ensured that the decisions are conveyed to the government servants within 15 days of receipt of complete application. Any lacunae in the application should be brought to the notice of the government servant within one week of the receipt of the application," the draft policy reads.

As per existing instructions, the permission to employees to go abroad may be denied in the interest of security.
"While granting such permission, many factors are required to be kept in view. For example, permission may be denied in the interest of security. Individuals, facing investigation or inquiry on serious charges, who may try to evade apprehension by police authorities or facing the inquiry may also not be permitted to leave the country.
"On the other hand, it is also desirable that requests of government servants for such permission are dealt with expeditiously," the instructions read.
The DoPT has written to all ministries and departments seeking their view on the new format by July 10.

There are about 48 lakh central government employees.