Ministers, VVIPs tour expenses rise ten fold

NEW DELHI: Expenses on foreign and domestic tours of central ministers and VVIPs rose by more than ten times to Rs 678.52 crore in 2011-12, up from Rs 56.16 crore in the previous year.

The tour expenses was increased from Rs 46.95 crore in the budget estimates of 2011-12 to Rs 499.89 crore in the revised estimates, due to payment dues to Air India for VVIP travels and maintenance of aircraft, etc., government informed the Lok Sabha today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh said in a written reply that the actual expenses on domestic and foreign tours of cabinet ministers and ministers of state declined to Rs 56.16 crore in the financial year 2010-11, from Rs 81.54 crore during 2009-10, before rising again in 2011-12.