‘Totally false’: PM Modi dismisses media report on proposed foreign travel tax
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Totally false’: PM Modi dismisses media report on proposed foreign travel tax")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets before embarking on a five nation tour, including the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, in New Delhi on Friday. Photograph: (ANI)
The media house later withdrew the report and issued a public apology on X. It acknowledged that its story claiming the government was considering a tax or cess on foreign travel was inaccurate and said it regretted the error.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly denied reports claiming that the Centre was considering imposing a tax, cess or surcharge on foreign travel, calling the speculation “totally false”.
The clarification came after a report by CNBC-TV18 claimed that the government was discussing a temporary levy on overseas travel to offset rising fiscal pressure caused by higher crude oil prices and the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Citing sources, the report said the proposal was being discussed at the highest levels and that the revenue generated from the levy would flow directly to the Centre instead of entering the divisible tax pool shared with states. The report further stated that the proposed cess or surcharge could remain in place for one year to help manage rising import and energy costs.
Responding to the report on X, PM Modi categorically rejected the claims.
“This is totally false. Not an iota of truth in this. There is no question of putting such restrictions on foreign travel. We remain committed to improving ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living’ for our people,” the Prime Minister wrote.
However, the media house later withdrew the report in a social media post and issued an apology. “Our story on the government considering tax/cess on foreign travel is not accurate. We withdraw the story and regret the error,” it wrote on X.
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The report came days after the Prime Minister, while addressing a gathering in Secunderabad, urged citizens to reduce dependence on imports and adopt more sustainable consumption practices in view of global economic uncertainties.
During the address, the Prime Minister appealed to people to prioritise work from home wherever possible, reduce fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products and cut down on edible oil usage. He also encouraged a shift towards natural farming practices to reduce fertiliser imports and protect the environment.
Highlighting the burden of rising import bills, PM Modi said India spends substantial foreign exchange on importing crude oil, edible oil and chemical fertilisers. He urged citizens to use public transport, opt for carpooling, increase the use of electric vehicles and prefer railways for goods transportation to reduce fuel consumption and economic pressure from global volatility.
