New Delhi Oct 06 :- The Capital’s roads which are full of “Government of India” vehicles, may soon be free of cars with such stickers, if the Centre goes about enforcing a recent circular issued by the finance ministry.
Finally spotting the trend, the expenditure department in the finance ministry has issued instructions to rid all private and personal vehicles of such stickers – whose number is probably more than the vehicles purchased by various departments and ministries.
Instead of mentioning “GoI”, staff cars (hired or owned by GoI) have been told to “prominently display stickers in the front and rear indicating that they are staff cars” of the department. Sources said the issue of mentioning “GoI” on hired vehicles would require more clarity considering that these are attached to the government departments for a certain contract period.
Taking a cue, the health and family welfare ministry has directed its employees for “strict compliance” of the instruction.
Over the years, as the population of hired vehicles went up in the absence of fresh purchase by the government, even the neighbourhood cabbie, whose services were availed of by various departments and ministries, has started sporting the “GoI” tag on vehicles, including registration plates.
Not wanting to be left behind – or seeking to avoid getting stopped by the cop for violation of traffic rules – even babus put the red stickers on the bonnet and the boot.
It’s not just central government employees who mention ‘Government of India’ on their personal vehicles, this practice is rampant among employees of state governments, police departments and even defence personnel.
“Unfortunately, this norm is hardly complied with and so you see so many cars on Delhi roads mentioning how these are attached to the central, local or any other state governments. There is hardly any check whether the vehicles flaunting such claims are still attached to any government department or not,” said a central government official.
The expenditure department circular has mentioned norms regarding the use of staff cars by government departments. It has suggested the ministries and departments to consider replacement of hired petrol and diesel cars with electric ones in Delhi. For fresh hiring of vehicles, it has suggested hiring electric vehicles.
According to the rule book only officers of the rank of joint secretary and above or head of departments are entitled to a staff car.
The guidelines issued by the expenditure department also clearly specify that officers will not “keep at their disposal” staff cars belonging to public sector undertakings and quasi- or autonomous organisations. If adhered to in letter and spirit, parking lots in government buildings will soon have a lot of parking space.
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