<p>Legislators keen on foreign tours will now have to finalise a topic of mutual interest that they are keen on studying, then form a group and submit a proposal for study tour abroad.<br /><br /></p>.<p>A committee appointed by Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on framing guidelines for foreign tours of legislators has recommended changes in the present practice of the legislature standing panels going aboard.<br /><br />The committee, comprising Legislature Secretaries P Omprakash and V Shreesh, has suggested that the present norm of allowing legislators to go on foreign tours twice during their tenure of five years on State expenses, be retained.<br /><br />Submit proposal<br /><br />Speaking to media in Bangalore, Thimmappa said he had accepted the recommendations made by the committee. <br /><br />According to officials, legislators will now have to finalise a topic of interest – say studying drip irrigation in Israel, form a group and submit a proposal to the Speaker on why they should venture on the tour.<br /><br />“Each group can comprise 30 to 40 members and venture abroad. But it must be a subject-related study tour,” Thimmappa said.<br /><br />Last year, legislators’ study tours abroad had come under criticism from the public on the ground that the tours were being undertaken when the State was reeling under drought. <br /><br />The tours were taken by various legislature standing committees like the estimates committee, public accounts committee and so forth.<br /><br />Further, the trips had become junkets rather than study tours. In the wake of the public outcry, Thimmappa had constituted the panel to frame guidelines for foreign tours of the legislators.<br /></p>
<p>Legislators keen on foreign tours will now have to finalise a topic of mutual interest that they are keen on studying, then form a group and submit a proposal for study tour abroad.<br /><br /></p>.<p>A committee appointed by Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on framing guidelines for foreign tours of legislators has recommended changes in the present practice of the legislature standing panels going aboard.<br /><br />The committee, comprising Legislature Secretaries P Omprakash and V Shreesh, has suggested that the present norm of allowing legislators to go on foreign tours twice during their tenure of five years on State expenses, be retained.<br /><br />Submit proposal<br /><br />Speaking to media in Bangalore, Thimmappa said he had accepted the recommendations made by the committee. <br /><br />According to officials, legislators will now have to finalise a topic of interest – say studying drip irrigation in Israel, form a group and submit a proposal to the Speaker on why they should venture on the tour.<br /><br />“Each group can comprise 30 to 40 members and venture abroad. But it must be a subject-related study tour,” Thimmappa said.<br /><br />Last year, legislators’ study tours abroad had come under criticism from the public on the ground that the tours were being undertaken when the State was reeling under drought. <br /><br />The tours were taken by various legislature standing committees like the estimates committee, public accounts committee and so forth.<br /><br />Further, the trips had become junkets rather than study tours. In the wake of the public outcry, Thimmappa had constituted the panel to frame guidelines for foreign tours of the legislators.<br /></p>