Nothing like a long ride in office vehicle...

[sidmis]

Nothing like a long ride in office vehicle...
as reported by Pranesh Sarkar | The Statesman | KOLKATA, Oct. 4, 08

State finance minister Mr Asim Dasgupta's effort to control unnecessary expenditure by reiterating an order that was in force since December 2000, was taken for a ride, in no less than an air-conditioned Ambassador, by the State Consumers' Cooperative Federation Ltd. (Confed).

Documents available with The Statesman suggest that public money worth lakhs of rupees were grossly misappropriated by the apex cooperative federation violating the finance department's order.

Confed bought an air-conditioned Ambassador (WB-02/6328) for official use in April, 2008. Such purchase usually needs prior approval from the appropriate authorities, but Confed did not seek any permission, misappropriating quite a lot of money. An air-conditioned Ambassador costs more than Rs 3 lakh. Replies to a set of questions asked under the
Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, show that the chief executive officer of Confed, Mr Sujan Kumar Mistry, has used the office car frequently, not conforming to restrictions on daily fuel consumption. He even used the vehicle on holidays without taking prior approval from the department secretary.

The vehicle of the CEO, who happens to be a government officer, was also found to be visiting offices of political parties frequently. There are no details or list of the passengers that is usually kept in case of use of official vehicle.

The cost cutting order is a standing order since December, 2000, and which was reiterated by the chief secretary, Mr Amit Kiran Deb, on 11 June (Number 454-FB) after the state government decided to provide some relief to common people by reducing the tax on petrol and diesel following the recent fuel price hike. The order clearly states that no new vehicle should be bought by any department until further orders. Having bought the car, Confed violated the order issued to all statutory bodies including local and autonomous bodies, corporations/undertakings (owned or substantially controlled by the state) and institutions that receive grants from the state.

Regarding the restriction imposed on government vehicles, the order clearly suggests that non-operational vehicles (which is used by an official exclusively) would be allowed consumption of fuel to the limit of 5 litres everyday. In other words, a government official is allowed to travel 60 km a day in the official car.

Further consumption of fuel requires prior approval from the department secretary. This apart, no government vehicle should be used on holidays without prior permission.

The Statesman