Srinagar, Dec 24 (KNS)
Putting a huge burden on the state exchequer, the government vehicles are allegedly being used by officials for their personal use.
Official sources told the officials of various departments are using official vehicles despite not entitled for any such services.
Government had said that they would take back government vehicles from officials who are not entitled under the rules. It was aimed to control and stop the misuse of public resources and to save lakhs of rupees which are being spent on fuel, maintenance and purchase of new vehicles.
“Government has to spent lakhs of rupees on the fuel charges annually on these vehicles that are being used by these officials,” sources said.
Sources said the issue was brought into the notice of higher authorities several times but no action was taken.
“Some bureaucrats and politicians are also misusing these official vehicles on the expenses of the government,” they said.
Meanwhile sources said that the government also has to bear heavy expenses on hiring of guest houses on vehicles use by officials even for personal purposes.
“Crores of rupees are being spent annually on the rent of guest houses. But the influential people including officials put their relatives in these guest houses while the government pays their rent,” an official at the Civil Secretariat said.
The official said various buildings reserved for high level meetings have been turned into guest houses in Jammu. “The government has also pay the salary for the cooks preparing meals for influential people and also on room maintenance employees,” the official said.
Sources said that the government had issued directions to the political leaders asking them to vacate the buildings occupied by them and their party workers.
Sources said the menace started after 1996 when National Conference government was in office and NC workers started occupying the government buildings.
Sources said the Administrative departments and Heads of Departments (HODs) were asked in 2016 to come up with proposals for hiring of vehicles instead of making purchases to ensure economy of expenditure. (KNS)
