138 cars for 85 bureaucrats, Uttarakhand govt wants more
The Uttarakhand government has 138 four wheelers for 85 senior bureaucrats entitled to government vehicle. There is a proposal for buying seven more SUVs
The Uttarakhand government has 138 four wheelers for 85 senior bureaucrats entitled to government vehicle. There is a proposal for buying seven more SUVs.
The state secretariat already sent a proposal to Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) for purchasing 20 battery-run vehicles for officers.
The idea is to ensure eco-friendly steps for conserving the environment. But, the question arises why so many four wheelers for handful officers?
As per the data gathered from the revenue department, the ambassador is the choicest vehicle of officers that is 78 in number followed by many special utility vehicles like Skoda Laura, Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Maruti Suzuki Esteem.
The SUVs are a pet of top bureaucrats, said sources close to the secretariat.
Of 138 total government-owned cars, 49 are used by joint secretaries. These primarily include Scorpio, Innova, Tata Sumo, Vans, Gypsy, Bolero, XUV and Marshall.
Vinay Shankar Pandey, additional secretary revenue, said, “Only one vehicle is allotted to each of the officers above joint secretary level. We have to keep back up for emergency or special situations, so we also outsource vehicles from private parties.”
On an average, about ₹30,000 is spent on each of the government-owned vehicles which include the driver’s salary and maintenance. An additional expense of over ₹10, 000 is on the fuel.
This means that each of the vehicles is costing at least ₹50,000 monthly to the government.
Madan Kaushik, urban development minister and spokesperson of the government, said, “No officer is using more than one vehicle. We need to have a backup. Sometimes even ministers demand cars from the secretariat when their vehicles are in workshops or engaged.”