Over Rs 2,021 crore spent on PM Modi's foreign travel since 2014, says Government
New Delhi, Dec 28: An expenditure of over Rs 2,021 crore was incurred on chartered flights, maintenance of aircraft and hotline facilities during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to foreign countries since June 2014, according to the government.
Replying to queries on the issue in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh also listed the countries visited by the prime minister between 2014 and 2018 that now figure among the top 10 countries from where India has received the maximum FDI inflows.
The Foreign Direct Investments grew from USD 30,930.5 million in 2014, to USD 43478.27 million in 2017, the minister said.
According to the data provided by the minister, an expenditure of over Rs 1,346 crore was incurred on chartered flights, maintenance of aircraft and hotline facilities during Manmohan Singh's foreign visits from 2009-10 till 2013-14 during UPA-II.
The details were shared by Singh in reply to questions on official foreign tours of Manmohan Singh during his second term as prime minister from 2009 to 2014 and of Modi since 2014.
According to the data, a total of Rs 1,583.18 crore was spent on maintenance of the prime minister's aircraft and Rs 429.25 crore on chartered flights during the period between June 15, 2014 and December 3, 2018. The total expenditure on hotline was Rs 9.11 crore.
Modi visited over 55 countries in 48 foreign trips since taking over as prime minister in May 2014. He made multiple visits to some countries.
The details provided by V K Singh did not include the expenditure on hotline facilities during Modi's foreign visits in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
The cost for chartered flights to overseas destinations in 2014-15 was Rs 93.76 crore, while in 2015-16, it was Rs 117.89 crore. In 2016-17, the cost was Rs 76.27 crore and in 2017-18, the expense on chartered flight was Rs 99.32 crore.
The cost for chartered flights to overseas destinations in 2018-19 till December 3 has been Rs 42.01 crore.
To a question on the details of investment received from the countries visited by Modi, Singh listed the countries visited by the prime minister between 2014 and 2018 that now figure among the top 10 countries from where India has received the maximum FDI inflows.
The cumulative FDI inflows between 2014 and June 2018 stood at USD 136,077.75 million, compared to USD 81,843.71 million recorded cumulatively for the years between 2011 and 2014, the minister said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
