Depts yet to submit report on limiting official vehicle use, Delhi govt told

The general administrative department has sought more time from Satyendar Jain to implement the directive.

With no department of the Delhi government having submitted a compliance report on surrendering extra government vehicles being used by bureaucrats, the general administrative department (GAD) has sought more time from minister Satyendar Jain to implement the directive.

The directive was issued after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked GAD minister Satyendar Jain to prevent “misuse” of government vehicles. (PTI File)

Principal secretary, GAD, has written to Jain last week asking time till November 1 to put in place measures to ensure government vehicles are not misused by officers. However, officers in the department said Jain, who at first had denied extensions, is now likely to give time till October.

On August 24, the Delhi government had issued a directive asking officers to use only one official vehicle and get GPS-enabled tracking devices installed in them, including those belonging to state-run corporations and autonomous institutions. The directive was issued after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, following complaints, had asked Jain, the GAD minister, to prevent “misuse” of government vehicles.

Apart from about the 600 vehicles that are deployed by various departments on rent, the Delhi government owns approximately 5,000 cars across its departments and offices, records with the GAD show.

Officers working on implementing the directive said that the plan is going to take at least two months as the department needs to float a tender to select a GPS vendor and operator. Besides, a common control room will also be constructed at the Secretariat building in which real-time movement of every such vehicle will be tracked.

In its August 24 order, the GAD had sought a compliance report from all heads of departments by September 1, saying it will be the responsibility of the respective corporation, board or other government agency to ensure implementation. However, no report has reached the GAD as yet.

The order had also asked the finance department to conduct periodic audits of government vehicles on a regular basis.

“There are several officers who use office cars for personal work. Some have even kept more than one official car. The rule, however, is that officers, even if they have additional charge are entitled to only one car for official purposes. After this directive, all extra cars will be surrendered to GAD for use in the general pool to meet exigencies,” an officer not authorised to talk to the media said.