Despite ban on foreign trips, AP minister on 'official' tour to USA

Less than a month after the state government renewed a ban on foreign trips by ministers and bureaucrats, Andhra Pradesh information and public relations minister DK Aruna today embarked on a 16-day "official" trip to the USA.

Less than a month after the state government renewed a ban on foreign trips by ministers and bureaucrats, Andhra Pradesh information and public relations minister DK Aruna on Tuesday embarked on a 16-day "official" trip to the USA.

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The minister, according to an order issued by the General Administration Department, is supposed to attend the 12th American Telugu Association (ATA) Conference and Youth Convention in Atlanta on "official visit".

Interestingly, the ATA event is scheduled to be held just for three days from July 6 to 8, but the minister will spend 16 days in the USA, excluding the journey time.

"The (minister's) visit is for official purpose and the expenditure shall be borne by the Government of Andhra Pradesh," the GAD special secretary (protocol) NV Ramana Reddy said in the order. The Union ministry of external affairs issued clearance from political angle to the visit of Aruna, he added.

Barring the ATA event, there is no other apparent "official purpose" in Aruna's US trip, sources in the general administration department said.

"Probably even the Prime Minister doesn't make a 20-day 'official' foreign trip at one go," a bureaucrat in the GAD remarked.

Besides Aruna, six other state ministers – P Sabita Reddy (home), Galla Aruna Kumari (mining), D Sridhar Babu (civil supplies), Anam Ramanarayana Reddy (finance), N Uttam Kumar Reddy (housing) and Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy (co-operation) – are among the "invitees" to the ATA conference.

But none of them is said to be attending the ATA programme, sources in the GAD said.

"We did not receive any requests from any minister except Aruna for the US visit," a GAD official said.