T.N. simplifies procedure for government employees to go on personal foreign trips

Tamil Nadu government streamlines foreign travel procedures for employees, requiring an undertaking and prior leave approval for personal trips.

The Tamil Nadu government has simplified the procedure for State government employees to go on personal foreign trips. They must sign an undertaking that they will not take up any appointment or attempt to secure additional income from any source during their stay abroad and would not quit their job during the trip. They shall also not canvas or seek any business while abroad.

Such an undertaking given to a competent authority would facilitate government employees to go abroad on personal trips. They can, however, take such trips only after the sanction of leave by the competent authority.

No government employee can undertake foreign trips for attending conferences, seminars, meetings, or training programmes on funding – other than through government sources or sponsored by NGOs – without obtaining permission from the competent authority. On receipt of the application, the competent authority would process it within 15 days and issue the letter of permission.

“Where any disciplinary proceedings/charges under rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules or any criminal prosecution is pending or contemplated against the applicant, the competent authority or higher authority or Head of the Department or the Government as the case may be, may grant permission or refuse to grant it after taking into account the nature and gravity of the delinquency or the criminal charge,” as per the new procedure.

In case of an emergency, where the government employee is unable to return, the authority concerned may provide a buffer period not exceeding three months from the date of expiry of such approved leave or period of stay, upon the request of the employee, through the IFHRMS portal.

No government employee shall leave India to seek employment abroad without the prior permission of the government. “Any Government servant proceeding on Haj Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia through Tamil Nadu Haj Committee on ‘Temporary Haj passport with a validity of eight months for Saudi Arabia’ and those proceeding on Jerusalem pilgrimage through Government schemes are also exempted from obtaining No Objection Certificate,” as per the new procedure.