Thiruvananthapuram, 10 Oct (H.S.): Six Kerala ministers travelled abroad in September, with all undertaking private visits at their own expense, according to the General Administration Department. One minister also made an official visit to another country during his overseas trip.

Ramesh Chennithala spent the longest period abroad, while K M Shaji visited the highest number of countries. Chennithala’s overseas visits totalled 13 days, followed by Shaji’s 11 days, the department said.

O J Janeesh, Mons Joseph and P C Vishnunath spent eight days each abroad, while V E Abdul Gafoor was overseas for four days. Among the visits listed by the department, Vishnunath’s trip to the United Arab Emirates was the only official engagement. He also undertook a private visit to Bahrain on September 10 and 11.

Chennithala visited the UAE on September 6 and 7 before travelling to the United States from September 10 to 20. The two visits together accounted for his 13 days abroad. Mons Joseph’s private visit to the United States lasted from September 6 to 13.

Shaji travelled to Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland and the UAE between September 17 and 27. His itinerary covered four countries, the most among the six ministers whose overseas visits were detailed by the department. Abdul Gafoor visited the UAE from September 18 to 21.

Janeesh undertook private visits to Oman and Qatar. Additional personal assistant Mohammed Hakeem accompanied him during the Qatar visit, according to the department’s account. The information provided did not specify the dates of Janeesh’s visits to either country.

The General Administration Department said expenditure details for the private visits were unavailable because the ministers had undertaken them at their own expense. Its account distinguished these personal trips from Vishnunath’s official UAE visit, which formed part of an overseas itinerary that also included his private stay in Bahrain earlier in the month.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman