CHANDIGARH: The Union Government has granted political clearance to a delegation led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for a visit to the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. However, the approval came only after the proposed tour had already been called off due to delays by the Centre in giving the go-ahead.
The delegation, comprising 25 members—including Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary to the CM Ravi Bhagat, and other officials—had planned to depart at midnight on Saturday to meet prospective investors in the two countries.
Sources said the belated clearance holds little practical value at present, as there has been no indication from CM Mann on whether the tour will now be undertaken. “We do not know whether he would like to go or not, as there has been no discussion yet on reviving the tour,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
According to sources, stay arrangements and flight tickets for the delegation to the European nations had already been booked, but the formal approval arrived only after the schedule was cancelled. The Union Government had earlier conveyed that permission was granted in principle; however, formal approval was not issued at the time. Subsequently, CM Mann and members of the delegation applied for Schengen visas, which were granted and remain valid.
“When the Centre does not intend to grant political clearance, it often communicates the decision after the tour is cancelled. That is exactly what has happened in this case,” an official alleged.
If CM Mann decides to proceed with the visit, changes in the delegation are likely, as a revised list would need to be prepared. The state government has recently suspended two officers from the investment promotion department, including Secretary KK Yadav and Jaspreet Singh.
The Indian Embassy in the Netherlands had already scheduled meetings with industry leaders to invite investments in Punjab. State Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora was also part of the proposed delegation.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs denied political clearance to CM Mann for visits to the UK and Israel. The Chief Minister has not publicly reacted to that decision.
Meanwhile, the state government is preparing to host the 6th Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit from March 13 to 15, 2026. Earlier, from December 1 to 8, CM Mann led a delegation to Japan and South Korea, where he held meetings with investors and invited them to participate in the summit.
Sources noted that over the past four years several chief ministers, state ministers, and Members of Parliament reportedly were not granted political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs for foreign travel. Before granting permission to a “VIP,” multiple parameters—including the prevailing security situation—are taken into consideration.