SHILLONG, The Meghalaya government on Wednesday suspended all state-funded external visits of ministers, MLAs and officials for six months as part of an austerity drive aimed at rationalizing expenditure and prioritizing development spending, a notification said.
They said the decision, which was taken in the larger public interest, comes amid rising global economic uncertainties, including heightened geopolitical tensions and pressure on foreign exchange resources.
According to the Department of Public Administration notification, the governor ordered the suspension of all official external visits of ministers and state government officials, whether permanent or contractual, for a period of six months.
The notice said the measure was imposed “in the public interest and to comply with austerity measures”.
As a result of this decision, eight proposed foreign study visits and exposure programs involving approximately 63 to 68 officials and representatives from various departments have been postponed.
The deferred programs were related to governance, livestock development, climate resilient water management, healthcare systems, project implementation, environmental management, and electoral administration.
Proposed visits were to destinations including the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Argentina.
Officials said the temporary suspension should not be viewed as a withdrawal from international engagement or knowledge sharing.
“This reflects a pause in expense-incurring foreign travel while ensuring continued focus on governance priorities within the country,” an official said.
The government said that many intended learning and collaboration processes will continue to be pursued through virtual engagements, artistic partnerships and other avenues during the restriction period.
The notification said the order would apply to all foreign visits funded by the Meghalaya government and would cover permanent and contractual employees.
However, it clarified that the restriction would not apply to visits wholly funded by the Government of India or wholly sponsored by multilateral development banks, subject to necessary political approval from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Officials said the move is aimed at curbing unnecessary expenditure and ensuring that public resources remain available for development programs and other priority commitments of the state government.
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