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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