Rs 20 crore foreign tours spark outrage as officials skip mandatory reports
The Karnataka government has come under intense criticism after it was revealed that officials undertook 95 foreign trips since 2023.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has come under intense criticism after it was revealed that officials undertook 95 foreign trips since 2023, with a significant number failing to submit mandatory study reports, raising serious concerns over accountability and misuse of public funds.
The details, presented in the Assembly by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, show that out of the 95 trips, 58 were funded by the government, costing the exchequer ₹20.28 crore. The remaining 37 trips were reportedly undertaken at personal expense. On average, each government-sponsored trip cost around ₹21.35 lakh.
Officials were deputed abroad to attend international conferences, investment summits, and study programs aimed at learning global best practices. However, the purpose of these visits has come under question after it emerged that many officers did not submit post-visit reports, which are essential to assess the outcomes and benefits of such trips.
A circular from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms flagged that officials who travelled between August 2024 and July 2025 had not complied with the requirement of submitting study reports. The absence of these reports has raised doubts about whether these expensive tours yielded any tangible benefits for the state.
The controversy has triggered sharp reactions, with critics alleging that the trips were reduced to mere “foreign junkets” at taxpayers’ expense. Questions are also being raised about the lack of monitoring and accountability mechanisms within the government to track the outcomes of such visits.
Among the most expensive tours was the delegation’s visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2024, which alone cost around ₹4.7 crore. Additionally, an 11-day visit to the United States by three senior officials in 2023 cost ₹2.2 crore. Over the past three years, officials have travelled to more than 27 countries, including major global economies.
Following the revelations, the government imposed a ban on foreign trips by officials in September 2025 in an attempt to enforce accountability and curb unnecessary expenditure. However, the move has been criticised as delayed, coming only after substantial public funds had already been spent.
The issue has sparked a broader debate on governance standards, transparency, and the need for stricter enforcement of rules. Experts have called for a comprehensive audit of all foreign trips and accountability for officers who failed to comply with reporting norms.
With mounting public scrutiny, the government now faces pressure to ensure that such lapses do not recur and that taxpayer money is utilised effectively for genuine administrative and developmental purposes.
