New government car rules: Bureaucrats can no longer claim multiple official vehicles
The Centre has revised its official vehicle policy for bureaucrats, introducing a “One entitled officer, One official car” rule to prevent duplication of government vehicles
The Centre has revised its official vehicle policy for bureaucrats, introducing a “One entitled officer, One official car” rule to prevent duplication of government vehicles and improve the use of public funds, according to a Business Standard report. Also Read | Why has the Centre imposed sugar stock limits? What are the new norms? Under the revised rules, an officer who is already entitled to an official staff car cannot be allotted another government vehicle simply because they have been given charge of an additional ministry, department, public sector undertaking (PSU) or autonomous body. Instead, they will be required to use the official vehicle already assigned to them.
The order also bars central government officials from using vehicles belonging to PSUs, autonomous bodies or quasi-government organisations, except while on official tours. The move closes a route that was often used to secure additional official vehicles. The government clarified that the entitlement is linked to the officer, not the number of positions they hold. As a result, holding multiple appointments will no longer qualify an official for multiple government cars. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has directed ministries and departments to ensure that vehicles no longer in regular use are kept in secure custody and are not used for unauthorised purposes. Also Read | Rupee opens 13 paise higher at 95.72 against US dollar Why has the Centre revised the policy?
According to the Department of Expenditure, the new framework is intended to improve administrative efficiency and reduce unnecessary spending on official transport by better utilising government resources. The revised norms were communicated to all ministries and departments through a circular issued on Monday, according to The Times of India. The guidelines build on the Department of Expenditure's Master Office Memorandum issued in September 2022. Under those rules, entitled officers are allowed to use official cars for personal travel of up to 500 km per month, provided they pay ₹3,000 and forgo their monthly transport allowance. According to Business Today, travel beyond the 500-km monthly limit will be charged at ₹24 per kilometre in addition to the ₹3,000 monthly payment.
The government has reiterated that all ministries and departments must strictly comply with the revised norms. The changes are part of the Centre's broader effort to reduce expenditure and strengthen administrative discipline across ministries and departments. By limiting officials to a single government vehicle regardless of the number of posts they hold, the government aims to eliminate unnecessary duplication and lower the cost of maintaining its vehicle fleet.
The BriefWire