Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* Told departments to ensure expenditures within budget limits
* Instructions to be followed by Semi govt. departments, ministers and senior officers
Chandigarh, The Punjab Government has issued strict instructions to all department heads, semi government departments, ministers and senior officers of all departments to ensure austerity in public expenditures for the year 2014-15.
In a communiqué to all Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, District and Session Judges, Registrar Punjab and Haryana High Court and heads of departments, it has been conveyed to follow the instruction regarding austerity measure in true spirit maintaining balance between limited income resources and expenditure. It was also conveyed that none of the department could exceed the budget limit in their departmental expenditures.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson said that no department would host lunch or dinner from state exchequer without getting prior approval from Chief Secretary. He also said at the time of Ministers’ visit to any district, head of concerned departments would only accompany the minister. He said during the current financial year state has put complete embargo on LTC besides prohibiting meeting and conferences in five stars and above standard hotels.
The spokesperson also said Ministers and officers, who have charge of more than one office they could only use vehicles of one department. According to instructions rest of the vehicles should not be used and no department would demand budget for these vehicles. He said that it was also conveyed to all departments to ensure austerity in electricity and telephone expenditures.
He said that it would be mandatory to take prior approval from Chief Minister before making foreign tours and such visits should only be made in unavoidable circumstances. He said it was also conveyed in the instructions that except Chief Secretary other officers would not be paid for telephone, electricity, furniture and other expenditures from state exchequer for camp offices.
