PM Modi’s June 2023 US Visit Cost Exceeds ₹22 Crore, Reports Parliament
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023 visit to the US cost over ₹22 crore, part of nearly ₹258 crore incurred for 38 foreign visits from May 2022 to December 2024. The data was shared by Minister Pabitra Margherita in response to Opposition queries regarding the detailed breakdown of costs associated with these trips.
In a recent address to Parliament, Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, disclosed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023 visit to the United States cost the Indian government over ₹22 crore. This information was provided in response to inquiries regarding expenditures on foreign visits by the Prime Minister. The total expenses for Modi’s 38 trips from May 2022 to December 2024 are estimated at approximately ₹258 crore.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised concerns about the expenditures incurred by Indian embassies for the Prime Minister’s foreign travels over the past three years, seeking a detailed cost breakdown for each visit. Minister Margherita presented data in tabular form, detailing expenditure categories including hotel stays, transport, and community receptions.
Among the reported expenditures, the visit to Japan in May 2023 incurred ₹17,19,33,356, while the Nepal visit in May 2022 amounted to ₹80,01,483. In addition to the June 2023 visit to the United States, other significant travels included Australia, Egypt, South Africa, and Greece in 2023. The Prime Minister’s visits to Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Brazil, and Guyana in 2024 also contributed notably to the total expenditures.
The overall expenditure of nearly ₹258 crore pertains to 38 foreign visits, consolidating costs from May 2022, when the Prime Minister traveled to Germany, through to the Kuwait visit scheduled for December 2024. Earlier expenditure data from visits before 2014 was also provided, indicating past costs such as INR 10,74,27,363 for a trip to the USA in 2011 and other significant amounts for visits to Russia and France.
The financial disclosure regarding Prime Minister Modi’s foreign visits sheds light on the substantial costs incurred, totaling nearly ₹258 crore across 38 trips from May 2022 to December 2024. The government continues to face scrutiny over these expenditures, with requests for transparency concerning specific expenses connected to each visit. This ongoing discourse highlights the need for accountability in government expenditures, particularly pertaining to international engagements.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
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