New Delhi- The Commonwealth Games have come as a godsend for travel-happy officials. It has now been disclosed that Sports Ministry officials made nearly 90 foreign visits in last four years in "preparation" for the sports mega-event. These trips cost the ministry nearly Rs 92 lakhs.
In reply to an RTI application seeking details of foreign visits by various Ministry officials "in preparation of Commonwealth Games", the ministry listed 87 visits undertaken by its officials during the period 2005-2009.
The most frequent travellers were Joint Secretary S Krishnan who went abroad 11 times in a two year period between 2005-07, Joint Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar who made 10 foreign trips between 2007-09, and Joint Secretary I Srinivas with eight visits. The Ministry Secretary S K Arora went abroad seven times. PTI
