Misuse of official vehicles: Speaker directs Govt to finalise policy within 15 days

Taking serious note of the prolonged delay in finalising the new Car Policy, Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather today directed the government to ensure that the policy is finalised and notified within 15 days.

The direction came after Transport Minister, Satish Sharma presented the status report on the Car Policy, saying that the department would undertake necessary inter-departmental consultations and complete the requisite formalities for finalisation of the policy. It is pertinent to mention that the Speaker had earlier taken note of the prolonged delay in formulation of the new Car Policy and directed the concerned Minister to submit a status report on the matter in the ongoing session 

“The new Car Policy should be finalised and notified within 15 days. This matter should not be allowed to remain pending any further. The complaints regarding misuse of public resources are a matter of serious concern and underscore the need for clear and updated rules governing the entitlement and use of Government vehicles,” Speaker said.

The Speaker remarked that he would not hesitate to term the use of multiple Government vehicles beyond the prescribed entitlement as misuse of public resources. He, however, clarified that the issue was not against Government officers, who should be provided the vehicles and facilities to which they are legitimately entitled under the prescribed rules.

In his observations, Speaker said that the matter had been moving from one department to another for nearly five years despite the importance of the issue. He stressed the need for expeditious finalisation of the policy, particularly in view of concerns regarding the proper and judicious use of public resources.

The Speaker observed that the Government had already accepted in principle the need for introducing a new Car Policy and questioned the repeated movement of the proposal between departments, including the need for sending the matter back to the Finance Department.

He emphasised that the entitlement of Government functionaries should be clearly defined under a comprehensive policy and that there should be no further delay in finalising the matter.