PMO does not keep the records of the expenses incurred on the domestic visits of the PM

Replying to an RTI  query, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has stated that it does not keep the records of the expenses incurred on the domestic visits of the prime minister, to which activist, has lambasted the government alleging the its commitment to transparency is a only a "sham".

RTI activist Anil Galgali has filed  an RTI query with PMO asking the nature and details of the expenses incurred on the foreign as well as domestic visits of the prime minister Narendra Modi and his all the cabinet colleagues ever since Modi-led government assumed the charge.

Replying to his query, Under Secretary and CPIO of the PMO Praveen Kumar stated that the documentation  of the expenses incurred on the domestic visits of the prime minister, is not part of the maintaining records and information related to the expenditure on domestic visits does not come in the purview of  a single authority because such domestic visits are organised by the different public authorities.Kumar also replied that prime minister's tours related to the poll campaigning are not part of official assignment and PMO does not incur any expenditure on these unofficial visits and it can not be provided and therefore it is not part of maintaining records.With regards to PM's foreign visits and expenses incurred on it, PMO has advised Galgali to go through the PMO's website to get the details. Besides, PMO  has transferred the query to cabinet secretariate for the details of other minister's expenses on their foreign tours.

          

Anil Galgali said that when he visited the PMO's portal, he did not find any records of PM's unofficial domestic visits. Notably, Modi has recently visited several states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, UP, MP, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisa, Andhhra Pradesh, Telangana, Asam, Jammu and Kashmir etc and Modi has travelled at least 25 states to address poll rallies.

Expressing displeasure over the selected information about PM's visits, Anil Galgali said, "To set a precedent, PMO must upload all the records of PM's movement where ever he uses official assistance or non official." Even All Minister's must maintain there all record of movement and expenses incurred on the domestic as well as visits foreign tours,said Galgali.