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India’s most admired Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being often questioned over his spending on foreign visits needs a fact check as an answer. The fact is that when the former PM Manmohan Singh travelled abroad nobody noticed while, when PM Modi makes a single visit, the world notices. Though PM Modi has travelled more countries than the former PM Manmohan Singh, you will be surprised to the cost of his visits!!

When PM Modi is on a Foreign trip: a complete update is live for all of us to know, his meeting schedules, speech details, deals signed, memorabilia received or presented etc. And when Former PM Manmohan Singh was on trip : None of us would know when he goes, when he came back , whom he met, what was the purpose of the visit. A bitter fact is that the former PM comparatively was lesser admired when compared to PM Modi, thus Indians had no clue about his activities !!

While Manmohan Singh’s 31 trips in 2009-2013 cost Rs 386.35 crore, Modi’s equal number of trips in his first four years cost Rs 387.26 crore. It is Rs 91 lakh more than in Manmohan’s first four-year tenure in UPA-2. Modi was also on five additional foreign trips in his first four years on an Indian Air Force BBJ Aircraft to neighbouring nations, for which the government did not have to pay.

Narendra Modi has spent more days abroad than Manmohan Singh, but spent the same as MMS in UPA-2. In fact, both Modi and Manmohan spent similar amount of Rs 386 Cr in 4 yrs of foreign trips! I break down some myths & numbers in Economic Times. Do read!

Narendra Modi has spent more days abroad than Manmohan Singh, but spent the same as MMS in UPA-2. In fact, both Modi and Manmohan spent similar amount of Rs 386 Cr in 4 yrs of foreign trips! I break down some myths & numbers in @EconomicTimes. Do read! https://t.co/pJE0LBWotp pic.twitter.com/XBiJfBP4ug — Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai_ET) July 27, 2018

But also see the result of these visits. PM Modi has almost transformed India’s image to be the most happening place worldwide which will help more & more investment, more tourism and other growth areas in spite of treacherous opposition spreading lies about India. In contrast, Manmohan Singh became a liability to Congress.

His trips were to manage the black money of Gandhi Pariwar and nothing to do with the development of India.

PM Modi invested this money in transforming image of India to “Emerging and Powerful Nation”. In future days, our country will get a huge amount of foreign investment for “Make In India” mission.

“When Modiji undertakes a trip abroad, thousands of Indians wait to welcome him and foreign nations are eager to do business with India,” Mr. Shah said in 2015. He reiterated the same sentiment in 2017, saying, “The entire world watches him (Mr. Modi).”

Don’t be misled by propaganda on PM Narendra Modi’s foreign visits. Here is the factsheet.

Don't be misled by propaganda on PM @narendramodi's foreign visits. Here is the factsheet. pic.twitter.com/b9MRft8aVR — BJP (@BJP4India) July 28, 2018

Combining these three led to Modi’s foreign travel cost being pegged in media at over Rs 1400 crore. “This annual maintenance cost of around Rs 220 crore has been paid in UPA’s tenure as well along with the hotline cost and is similar to the price paid now. This cost is catered for years now from a specific budget grant No 47 of Ministry of Home Affairs that pertains to maintenance cost of VVIP aircraft,” a senior government official told Economic Times.

According to data provided: PM Modi has spent more days abroad than Manmohan Singh. While Singh spent 131 days abroad in the first four years of UPA-2 and 161 days abroad in entire UPA-2 tenure, PM Modi has spent 155 days abroad in his first four years and 182 days abroad as on date.

While Singh made 38 trips abroad in his entire UPA-2 term, PM Modi is currently on his 43rd foreign trip to Africa. A senior government official said that can be explained given Modi’s broader foreign policy ambit, going to many countries that no PM had earlier visited or which Manmohan Singh did not visit and Modi’s focus on connect events with Indian diaspora.

Average cost per trip:

Manmohan Singh – Rs 12.45 crore

Narendra Modi – Rs 10.75 lakh

Average cost per day spent abroad:

Manmohan Singh – Rs 2.94 crore

Narendra Modi – Rs 2.49 crore

Triggering a major conspiracy against PM Modi, the Congress had earlier claimed that the PM had visited 52 countries over 41 trips in four years at an expense of Rs 355 crore. That statistic is even more favourable to PM Modi in terms of cost per trip than the BJP’s fact-sheet states. As per the PMO’s website, “PM Modi has made 42 foreign visits till the date of June 9th 2018”.

Source: Economic Times

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