Kathmandu. The government has tightened provisions on foreign visits by office-bearers and employees at the local level.

Through a circular, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration urged local officeholders and employees not to go on foreign visits on their own without getting approval from the bodies concerned.

It has directed the officials and staff of local bodies to go on foreign tours only on a need-basis, saying the appropriateness of several programs of foreign visits before this could not be justified.

The Ministry has also instructed the District Coordination Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer of the local levels not to forward for approval the applications for foreign visits except in cases of high need and appropriate reasons.

The circular called for taking into account the country's present financial sensitivity and the crucial time of the termination of the current fiscal year and the formulation of the budget for the next fiscal year before deciding on a foreign visit.

It also warns that the Ministry will take action against anyone going on a foreign visit or any request letter forwarded to the Ministry for its approval if the authenticity of the same is not established and if it is based on fake documents.