New Delhi: In a fresh push to rein in wasteful spending, the Central government has rolled out a “One Officer, One Official Vehicle” rule for its bureaucratic machinery. The measure is designed to stop the misuse of government cars and bring down public expenditure. According to a new Office Memorandum from the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, any officer who already has an official car assigned to them will not be given a second one — even if they take on extra responsibilities elsewhere.
The intent behind the move is to make better use of government resources and eliminate avoidable costs. The Finance Ministry has clarified that even when an officer is handed additional charge of another ministry, department, public sector undertaking (PSU), or autonomous body, no extra vehicle will be sanctioned. Essentially, every eligible officer will now be entitled to just one government car, regardless of how many portfolios they hold.
All central ministries and departments have been told to enforce this rule without exception. Additionally, the order requires that any government vehicles not currently in use be kept at designated parking spots rather than pressed into service unnecessarily.
What does the new order change?
The memorandum also specifies that central government officers cannot use vehicles belonging to PSUs, autonomous institutions, or other quasi-government bodies. There is one exception, however: officers visiting such organisations for official work may use the organisation’s vehicle for that specific visit.
The Department of Expenditure noted that this order builds on and reinforces guidelines that were first issued in September 2022. The fresh memo has now been sent to all central ministries and departments so the policy is applied consistently across the government’s administrative structure.
Why was this policy brought in?
The government’s stated aim is to ensure judicious use of public funds, avoid situations where a single officer ends up with multiple vehicles, and bring greater transparency and efficiency to administrative functioning. Officials expect the rule to cut down on duplicate vehicle allocations, lower fuel and upkeep costs, and improve overall utilisation of public money.
The Centre has described the policy as an important step toward tighter management of government assets, one that should help check misuse of official transport while reinforcing accountability and fiscal discipline within the bureaucracy.
