(a) the name of Ministers who have visited USA during the period from December 20, 2001 to February 24, 2002;
(b) the details of main issues discussed and outcome thereof;
(c) whether any memorandum of Undertakings have been signed;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) the manner in which these visits have benefited the country; and
(f) the reasons for not clubbing the tour of different Ministers to avoid massive extra expenditure on the separate visits?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (Shri Gingee N. Ramachandran)
(a) to (f) : So far as the Ministry of Finance is concerned, the Finance Minister visited USA to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, from 31.1.2002 to 2.2.2002. On 31.1.2002, the Finance Minister addressed the Asia Society in New York, the main issue being `The second wave of Economic Reforms in India`. On 2.2.2002 in a plenary session of the World Economic Forum, the Global Economic outlook was discussed with emphasis for correlation between the GDP growth across the countries in the world with a view to reduce poverty in the third world. No memorandum was signed. The reforms were discussed to lay a roadmap to success in various fields in India including the third world. A consensus was reached in favour of free trade as vehicle for reducing poverty in the third world countries.
The details relating to foreign visits, if any, made by various other Ministers from other Ministries, are not centrally maintained.