PM’s travels have cost exchequer Rs 234 crore

MUMBAI: If much is said about Prime Minister Manmohan Singh���s popularity overseas, it is perhaps in no small measure because much has been spent by him in travelling to meet world leaders. Singh has run up a travel bill of Rs 233.8 crore for official foreign visits in the last five years, according to data released by the government in response to a query under the Right to Information Act. His predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee spent Rs 185.60 crore on foreign tours during 1999-2003 , as per official data.

Although, his travel bills would be insignificant compared to leaders of developed countries like the USA, where
presidents travel with a massive retinue and spend hundreds of crores on security, Singh���s longer trips have become more and more expensive . For exampls, his eight-day visit to Brazil and Cuba in September 2006 cost the exchequer Rs 15.89 crore and tops in foreign tour expenditure.

The seven-day visit to France, USA and Germany in September 2005 comes second with a travel expenditure of Rs 13.4 crore. The eight-day visit to UK and USA came third with a travel bill of Rs 11.9 crore. ������ The travel expenditure has been calculated as per the expenditure incurred for hiring charter aircrafts of Air India,������ said activist Chetan Kothari who filed the RTI query.

The PMO also said family members have accompanied the PM on such visits. The PMO has also incurred Rs 5.3 crore for hotline and communication facilities while Rs 1.21 crore as dearness allowance and hotels.

However, a quick hop to neighbouring Dhaka for three days in November 2005 for a summit meeting of SAARC nations cost the taxpayer Rs 3.70 crore. The bill for his three-day tour of China last January was Rs 6.80 crore.

Heavy on pocket

A B Vajpayee 185.6cr

Manmohan 233.8cr