The government has increased the allocation for travel expenses of 37 ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers by 60 lakh taka or 9 percent for this fiscal year than the previous two.
The decision comes despite finance division's consideration of resorting to austerity measures.
Bench of cabinet service under cabinet division on Tuesday (August 25) sent a letter all to ministries and divisions regarding the allocation of funds for travel expenses this fiscal year.
The letter signed by Syedur Rahman, deputy secretary in the cabinet division, said the allocated 6.90 crore taka would be divided among different ministries.
Besides, an allocation of Tk 2.60 crore has been set aside for additional expenses if needed later.
The letter said the allocated money could not be used for any other matters other than travel expenses. If money is required outside the allocation, additional allocation should be proposed and sent to the cabinet division.
Moreover, ministries and divisions will inform travel expenses of the cabinet division in three-month intervals.
On July 19, owing to declining revenues amid the pandemic, 50 percent of the travel expenditures was suspended by finance division in the operating and development budgets of all government, semi-government, autonomous and other organisations in the 2020-21 fiscal year.
In the 2018-19 financial year, 6.30 crore taka was spent for the travel expenses of all the ministries of the government.
In 2020-21 fiscal year, it has been allocated 6.90 crore taka. The highest allocation has been made for commerce ministry with the total allocation of 25 lakh taka.
On the other hand, the lowest allocations were made for Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Culture. These ministries have been allocated 5 lakh each taka for their travel expenses.
How much does it cost a year for ministers to travel abroad? The general public has a vested interest in this. However, these issues are not usually discussed.
According to the ministry, the travel expenses will be borne by the government. However, in many cases, ministers are invited to travel abroad. In some cases, the travel expenses are borne by the inviting person, organization or government of different countries.
Apart from government travel expenses, the ministers also travel abroad at the expense of various organizations in the country. In this case, those companies bear the cost.
Former finance secretary Mahabub Alam said travel expenses for ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers are allocated every year.
“This is a normal process, however, in this fiscal, ministries should be cautious about travel expenses due to the pandemic,” he said.
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