By IANS
New Delhi : Embarrassed over state governments and various ministries approaching foreign nations directly for financial assistance, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has issued special instructions to route such requests only through it.
Pointing out that there have been several instances of central ministers and states seeking financial aid, the MEA has written to all union secretaries and state chief secretaries to instruct ministers and junior officials to make all communications with the foreign countries through the ministry.
“There have also been cases of ministers in state governments writing directly to foreign governments seeking foreign aid without going through the ministry of external affairs or other concerned ministries of the central government or Indian missions abroad,” said the MEA’s letter.
The ministry has sent the letter to all secretaries of the central government and chief secretaries of states and union territories. It has asked them to circulate these instructions to all concerned.
Reminding the officials that direct correspondence with foreign states violated established norms of interaction with foreign governments, the letter also pointed out that some of the communications had embarrassed the Indian government. Some letters had not been acted upon as these had not reached them through the proper channel.
According to the letter, there are standing instructions on channels of communications between the government of India and state governments and foreign governments and their missions in India as well as international organisations.