Sibal trims foreign trips

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has cancelled one leg of his upcoming foreign visit...

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has cancelled one leg of his upcoming foreign visit, joining the long list of his Cabinet colleagues who have responded to the Prime Minister’s call for austerity by cancelling their official foreign visits.

The Minister was to attend Bio-2008 international convention, a global biotechnology event, in San Diego later this month and also had visits planned to Vancouver in Canada and Livermore in the US. The visits now stand cancelled.

However, Sibal will go ahead with the first leg of his visit to Edinburgh, Boston and Toronto from June 9 onwards. Sources said Sibal had important official engagements with senior ministers at these places and cancellation would have resulted in an embarrassment for the country.

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Sibal’s decision comes a day after five of his Cabinet colleagues cancelled their foreign trips following a letter by the Prime Minister asking ministers to cut down on wasteful expenditure and reduce foreign visits in a bid to lessen the burden on the Government in the light of a steep hike in petroleum prices.

On Friday, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni, Shipping and Road Transport Minister T R Baalu and Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi had cancelled their official visits abroad.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and Finance Minister P Chidambaram also withdrew from their foreign engagements but insisted their decision had been taken much before the Prime Minister’s letter.