Over Rs 22 crore incurred on PM's visit to US in June 2023: Govt tells Parliament
New Delhi (PTI): Over Rs 22 crore was incurred on the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in June 2023, according to data shared by the government.
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita shared the data in his written response to a query in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge asked the government the total expenditure incurred by Indian embassies on arrangements for the prime minister's foreign visits in the past three years.
He also asked for visit-wise details of expenses under major heads such as hotel arrangements, community receptions, transport arrangements and other miscellaneous expenditures among others.
The data on country-wise expenditure on foreign visits by the prime minister, including the expenditure on official, accompanying, security and media delegations, in 2022, 2023 and 2024 was shared in a tabulated form in his response.
According to the data, an expenditure of Rs 22,89,68,509 was incurred on the visit of the prime minister to the US in June 2023, while the expenditure incurred was Rs 15,33,76,348 on the September 2024 visit to the same country.
The tabulated data pertained to 38 visits, from May 2022 visit to Germany to Kuwait visit in December 2024.
According to the data related to the PM's Japan visit in May 2023, the expenditure incurred was Rs 17,19,33,356 while the same was Rs 80,01,483 on the Nepal visit in May 2022.
The minister in his response also shared some corresponding data for years prior to 2014.
"For reference purpose, expenditure on Prime Minister's foreign visits earlier were INR 10,74,27,363 (USA, 2011), INR 9,95,76,890 (Russia, 2013), INR 8,33,49,463 (France, 2011) and INR 6,02,23,484 (Germany, 2013). These figures show actual expenditure without adjusting for inflation or currency fluctuations," he said.
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We've got firepower, don't discount us: CSK head coach Stephen Fleming
Chennai, Mar 29 (PTI): A combative CSK head coach Stephen Fleming stoutly countered the criticism that his team's brand of cricket was getting outdated, saying the team had enough "firepower" and no one should make the mistake of discounting them.
Five-time IPL champions CSK lost to RCB by 50 runs, unable to chase a steep 196/7 set by Rajat Patidar's side on Friday.
CSK's defeat to RCB in the 'Southern Derby' in their own den was their first since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008 and it was also their biggest reversal at home thus far.
In response to a question if his brand of cricket was getting outdated, the former New Zealand skipper shot back, "What do you mean, my way of playing (cricket)? Like winning the first game, that's a good way to play. We've got firepower all the way through. I don't understand this question."
"Just because we don't swing (the bat) from ball one and have a little bit of luck go our way, we'll see at the end," said the New Zealander after his team was restricted to 146/8 in 20 overs.
The 51-year-added that CSK should not be "discounted" just because they had lost one match.
"It's a positive brand of cricket, no doubt about it, but don't discount us. It's a silly question."
The coach, however, conceded the team's fielding wasn't of the highest standard on Friday, adding that the opponents came really hard at them.
Patidar's fine half-century and Josh Hazlewood (3/21) excellent bowling, which reduced CSK to 30/3 at the end of six overs, took the wind out of the home team's sails.
"No, we didn't get it right. It's so hard to read (the pitch), but we thought it was going to skid on with the dew, but it actually got a bit tacky. So, it certainly made it harder.
"A couple of half chance, one or two, it's a real chance. It's just a little bit clumsy. They came very hard, and we had opportunities to really peg them back, but we just let them off the hook. A score of 175 would have been more realistic, but we just weren't good," added Fleming.
Fleming also credited Hazlewood for RCB's win, saying he played a decisive role in the victory.
"Hazlewood is an excellent new-ball bowler when there's a bit of bounce. If you look at the conditions the last game we played, there wasn't that type of bounce or seam. So again, we scratch our heads as to what we're going to get, and we just have to apply ourselves a bit better. We had some chances, but we were just a bit clumsy in the field," added Fleming.
"What we do have to do is apply ourselves better and make sure that whatever surface we're on, we're in the fight. I don't buy into what's talked about over there. We've got firepower all the way through.
"We just have to create the opportunities. Just because we don't swing from ball one and play with it, a lack of fear factor, we'll just sort of see what teams end up at the end," he added.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni striking three boundaries and two sixes to make 30 not out off 16 balls to go past Suresh Raina as CSK's highest run-scorer in IPL history, was only a minor consolation.
Fleming conceded the former skipper had an uphill task when he came in to bat.
"He's been here (training) well over a month, so he's done a lot of work with the trainers to get himself into shape. He's very professional in that way, and just natural ability. It was far too steep in the end."
