UP govt orders strict austerity measures for officials

Lucknow: Rolling out strict austerity measures, the Uttar Pradesh government has asked its officials to curtail expenses on foreign visits, fly economy class and avoid holding lunch or dinner meetings at five-star hotels.

An 18-point order to this effect was issued by UP Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey, a senior official said Wednesday.

The order directs officials to slash expenses on office stationery, furniture and upholstery. It said just because an official concerned has been replaced, it did not mean there should be new furniture or upholstery for the new official.

The order specifically mentions that official visits should be kept to a minimum unless these are important and essential.

Besides, babus should travel economy class if they have to take flights for official visits.

Official lunch and dinner should not be held in five-star hotels. In exceptional cases, permission of the chief secretary should be taken.

The five-page order said it was important to cut down administrative expenses to make optimum use of government funds and resources for development work.

It noted that during the last decade, work culture has changed considerably in view of computerisation and even work load has come down in certain sectors.

Many posts have become redundant and employees on those posts were being utilised in other areas in the best possible manner, it said.

The order clearly mentions that no new posts should be sanctioned except in medical and police departments.

In cases of emergency, the tasks may be outsourced and done on contract basis, it said.

The order also said that in case of vacancies in class four and similar posts of driver, gardener, plumber, electrician and liftman, there should be no regular appointment. These tasks should be outsourced with approval of the finance department.

The order stated that no posts should be created to assist those holding temporary posts of advisor or chairman of any department. The posts may be outsourced.

Various schemes run by the government should be reviewed at regular intervals and those found no longer useful, should be scrapped.

Besides, travelling allowance, dearness allowance, house rent allowance, city compensatory allowance, leave travel allowance and medical reimbursement should be paid to the staff of central or state government funded projects at sanctioned rates only.

The order said no new office building or residential complex should be constructed except in newly created divisions or districts.

It said barring security-related requirements, no new vehicle should be purchased and in case existing vehicles were unfit for use, they could be hired.

Hiring of taxis for administrative work should be done with the permission of the finance department alone and only registered taxis should be hired and not private vehicles.

For holding meetings, seminars and workshops, government buildings and premises should be chosen as venue and not private hotels.

There should be maximum use of technology for communication through e-mails, video conferencing to cut down bills on stationery and journeys, the order said.

It also said no new gadgets should be purchased on an emergency basis in the month of February or March.

Besides, there will be immediate ban on printing cards and sending New Year greetings, calendars, diaries, etc. at government expense. This will apply to autonomous bodies and authorities as well.

The order will be applicable to all government departments, offices, PSUs, state universities.