| Font Size |
They stayed at the Kruger National Park — the largest game reserve in South Africa — and visited Johannesburg and Cape Town. They also attended the third annual South African Trade and Investment Conference and Exhibition and met office-bearers of the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industries, exploring possibilities of forging business and industrial ties.
Apart from the CM and his family, including wife, son and daughter, Chief Secretary P Joy Oommen and his wife were part of the tour. Others included CM’s Principal Secretary N Baijendra Kumar, OSD Vikram Sisodiya, and Secretary (Energy) Aman Singh. Spouses of all officials, except one, joined the trip from October 23 to 31. Incidentally, the Chief Secretary’s tour came within 10 days after he returned from the US.
Initially, sources said, the High Commission in South Africa recommended against the visit, saying that no serious preparation went into it and there was no real trade or investment link between South Africa and Chhattisgarh.
Interestingly, the South African Trade and Investment Conference and Exhibition, attended by the delegation, in fact targeted at “promoting South Africa’s image abroad and attracting investment into that country”. Oommen told The Indian Express, “The High Commission had some reservation about the timing of our visit. Many other delegations were to come. May be because of the workload, they were trying to avoid. But the tour was okayed after we sent our programme details.”
“It’s also a fact that the conference was meant for attracting investment into South Africa. But we managed to get an opportunity to make a presentation about our state and its potential for attracting investment. It was well-appreciated,” he added.
Chief Minister Raman Singh was all praise for South Africa on his return: “Gandhiji went to South Africa as a barrister and returned as Mahatma. It’s a great land.” He described the tour as successful, saying it could open a new chapter of ties between that country and Chhattisgarh for growth of the mining sector, industries and infrastructure in the state.
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
No result or benefit is achieved by this foreign visit except the waste of taxpayers money. There is no accountability by these leaders and officials.
I know the writer of this story. he himself with his other journalist friends had enjoyed a so called study tour of kerala his home town on the expanses of Govt of Chhattisgarh HA HA HA.
CM Chattisgarh and his team went to South Africa for promoting investments in Chattisgarh. All right, we accept this argument, for the time being. What were the wives and sons of CM and other officials doing there. Who bore their expenditure? To wait for the ruling party to say anything in the matter opposing such reckless expenditure, is expecting too much. Spending public money by officials amd politicioans cannot be stopped, even by public outcry. A law needs to be passed for it not allowing wives and sons and other relations accompany their husband/ father on foreign trips at the expense of public money, unless and until, the presence of wife is necessary as a matter of protocol. This law should apply to all politicians in States and at the Centre even.
It is a business trip and Why is he taking his family along with him ? Why the public should pay through their nose for the trip of his kith and kin ? BJP calls Chattisgarh as a model Government and the proto-type is all there for to see and feel.
QUOTE: "Chief Minister Raman Singh was all praise for South Africa on his return: “Gandhiji went to South Africa as a barrister and returned as Mahatma" UNQUOTE: Exactly right. Now he has left no other altetrnative bu to adopt and strictly follow the ideals of Mr.M.K.Gandhi to save himself from the austerity ordeal. A movement against austerity imperialism. And may become the first Mahatma of India by the Congress lead Central Govt. of India.
Make the blessed fellows pay out of their pockets for their families' expenses.
One can not be more self-serving and foolish than the present stage managers of the austerity drive, both from the executive and their media cohorts. However, trying to believe even the BJP should start emulating them now, is the height of mental bankruptcy they might have! Raman is doing a good job in Chhattisgarh, so it is upto him and his electorate to decide how and when he spends a vacation. However, since when did the gimmicks of an Italian become a moral binding for the non-UPA governments?
One can not be more self-serving and foolish than the present stage managers of the austerity drive, both from the executive and their media cohorts. However, trying to believe even the BJP should start now emulating them, is the height of mental bankruptcy! Raman is doing a good job in Chhattisgarh, so it is upto him and his electorate to decide how and when he should spend holidays. However, since when did the gimmicks of an Italian become a moral binding for the non-UPA governments?