RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh IAS fraternity initially left “astonished”, when the former chief minister Raman Singh sought response in the state Assembly regarding their private foreign tours availed. Later, the bureaucrats were further disappointed over the “half-baked inaccurate coverage” with facts being misreported.
In response to Singh’s query, the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel told the House that sixty-three bureaucrats of the state had gone on 129 private foreign tours between January 2015 and October 2019.
While giving the break-up of the personal trips undertaken by the Chhattisgarh IAS officers, Baghel stated that in 19 officers went on 21 tours in 2015, 14 officers went on 23 tours in 2016, 24 officers on 31 tours in 2017, 23 officers took 29 foreign tours in 2018, with prior formal permission.
The state IAS fraternity is much surprised since all officers who left on personal foreign trips were during the tenure of BJP led by Raman Singh and it was his government that formally gave consent to it, though for purely personal tour no such approval of the government actually is required.
The Department of Personnel and Training circular issued in 2007 illustrate that the approval will no longer be required in the case of private visits abroad which are purely personal.
However, what pained the bureaucrats more was the “improper presentation of facts (in the context of responses given in the House) that led the people interpret about some officers are fond of foreign trips.
Chhattisgarh IAS Officers Association meeting chaired by its president C K Khaitan felt that every officer has a right to proceed on leave incurring their own expense and they went abroad after legitimate approval.
“Some have relatives staying abroad and it's their right to visit them on personal cost. So, the facts shouldn’t be reported giving impression about the action of IAS officers as irresponsible and erode the image of the Indian Administrative Services”, the statement issued by the Association affirmed.
The Association suggested media to at least seek views of the concerned officers before elaborating their details so that the comments of the concerned officer also go among the people.
“The Association remains in favour of complete transparency and accountability in action in the services of IAS officers. And we expect the media to understand that dedication, reputation and diligence of any officer shouldn't unnecessary be undermined”, it further stated.