GAD says ‘no’ to more than 80 km/day plying of Govt vehicles during winter session
Staff Reporter
In a bid to curb the ‘undue
expenditure’ incurred during winter session of State Legislature, General
Administration Department (GAD) has asked various departments and Divisional
Commissioner, District Collector at Nagpur to ensure that Government vehicles requisitioned
for winter session do not go out of Nagpur even for official work. Winter
session of State Legislature is commencing in Nagpur from December 7.
Issuing a fresh set of
instructions, the GAD has prescribed a limit of 80 km per day for each of the
vehicles requisitioned for winter session. Even if a vehicle has to be taken
out of Nagpur city limits, the respective user will have to submit
justification and seek approval of Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur. These restrictions
are being enforced as there were complaints during previous winter sessions
that the official vehicles were being taken out of Nagpur city limits or being
used for private purposes by ‘some’ office-bearers, officials, and employees.
Taking cognisance of these complaints, the fresh set of instructions has been
issued by Dr P S Meena, Additional Chief Secretary (GAD).
As per the new guidelines, official
vehicles requisitioned for winter session are not expected to be used for
private purposes in any cases. Still, if the official vehicles are to be used
for private purposes, the respective user will have to pay charges at the rate
of Rs 12 per kilometer. However, there is a ceiling of 700 km per month for
such private use. The administrative authorities have been asked to ensure that
this limit is not crossed. In exceptional cases, if the limit of 700 km/month
is exceeded, the respective user will have to pay charges at the rate of Rs 18
per kilometer.
Apart from these charges, GAD has
made it clear, the respective user will have to pay ‘detention charges’ of Rs 8
per hour after first three hours. Interestingly, even if an user is willing to
pay additional charges and ‘detention charges’, he/she will not be able to use
the official vehicle for private purposes beyond 10 hours a day.
According to sources, the GAD has
been forced to take the step in concurrence with the Finance Department as many
office-bearers, officials, employees visiting Nagpur for winter session of
State Legislature, tend to use the official vehicles to go to tiger reserves or
wildlife sanctuaries or to visit the relatives/friends outside Nagpur city.
Usually, 2100 vehicles are sought
to be requisitioned from various districts across Maharashtra, except for those
in Konkan and Pune divisions, for winter session. However, only around 1200
vehicles are received. The vehicles are provided to officials not below the
rank of Under Secretary. However, in many cases, it came to fore that staffers below
this rank also are given vehicles for private purposes. The private use
increases fuel bill of the Government during winter session.
As is the case, there are only
two fuel pumps that supply fuel to official vehicles requisitioned for winter
session. Other fuel pumps are not willing to supply fuel owing to delay in
payment of bills. Some others are willing to supply fuel but they want proper
agreement to be executed, with a clause for payment of interest on dues in case
of delay. Against this backdrop, now, the GAD has decided to take steps to curb
‘unnecessary expenditure’ on vehicles requisitioned for winter session, said
sources.
Year-wise expenditure on vehicles during winter session
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Year Expenditure
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2012 Rs 96.32 lakh
2013 Rs 1.02 crore
2014 Rs 1.25 crore (approx)
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(16-11-15)
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