NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government, persisting with its theme of enforcing stringent discipline, is clamping down hard on foreign junkets to make sure that ministers and bureaucrats don’t take off at the drop of a hat and that there are clear deliverables that accrue for India from such trips. Cabinet secretary Ajit Seth sent round a second note on the subject days after the first one tightening rules on foreign trips Seth told secretaries that Modi is unhappy about the casual approach of ministries to foreign trips reflected in their tendency to seek clearance at the last minute. “Permissions are sought to be obtained in the nick of time as a result of which the proposals cannot be always scrutinized properly. The Prime Minister has expressed concern at this practice,” Seth said in last week’s letter marked to all secretaries to the government.Earlier this month, the government asked ministers and officials to submit their proposals for overseas travel to the Prime Minister’s Office 10 days ahead of the travel date as opposed to the earlier limit of five. For every subsequent trip, ministers and officials are now required to put on record what they have implemented from their learning on their earlier foreign visit–an additional requirement imposed by Modi on top of the traditional tour report officials submitted after every overseas outing.Seth has called for “strict compliance” with the rules for foreign trips, asking for details of the tasks to be accomplished during such visits and “a post-visit report” to be submitted on the “immediate outcomes of the visit.” “The Prime Minister has further directed that for submitting the proposal for any subsequent visit abroad, the efforts made to realise the intended outcome of the earlier visit and the results should also be mentioned,” Seth’s communiqué stated it clearly.This is a significant departure from the practice under the previous UPA government when ministers simply had to submit tour reports and “information regarding the funding” of their previous trip, for every subsequent visit abroad. The prior approval of the Prime Minister is necessary for all ministerial trips abroad and the 10-day window for seeking a clearance from him effectively means that ministers won’t be able to travel abroad at less than 15 days’ notice.Prior to sending any such proposal to the PMO, ministers are required to get “political clearance” from the ministry of external affairs. Overseas trip plans need to be submitted to the foreign ministry at least 15 days before departure.It reviews proposals to ensure that India’s views are being effectively presented to foreign governments and there is no “duplication of visits.” The PMO is required to reject any proposal that doesn’t have the foreign ministry’s green signal. Ministers need to keep the PMO informed even about private visits abroad.