Prez Rs 205-cr foreign jaunts: Comparisons with others irrelevant
March 26, 2012  18:16

Rashtrapati Bhavan today made a feeble attempt to defend the whopping expenditure of Rs 205 crore on President Pratibha Patil's numerous foreign  visits saying that the comparison with her predecessor was "not relevant".

 

Patil, who completes her five year tenure in July next has visited 22 countries for a period of 79 days, by far the highest by any President. These travels have cost Air India Rs 169 crore and Ministry of External Affairs Rs 36 crore. 

 

A Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said in a statement that the profile of the country has changed and there has been increased engagement with the rest of the world. 

 

"The number of visits of other heads of state to India including multiple visits have also increased. It is only natural that reciprocal visits are required to be made," the spokesperson said. She said there were several instances where the visit of the President was the first ever by any Indian President to make new era of bilateral relations.

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