Bans holding meetings, conferences at pvt hotels, · Officers directed to travel by economy class · Bans purchase of furniture, except for newly established offices · Bans official lunches, dinners, except those hosted by CS or Guv or with approval of Guv · Limits expenditure to 30% of budget allocation in last quarter of fiscal, do not to exceed expenditure by 10 % in March
Srinagar, Dec 06: The Government on Monday ordered a slew of austerity measures to promote fiscal discipline, without restricting the operational efficiency.
An order issued by the Finance Department said that there shall be a complete ban on holding of meetings and conferences at private hotels.
The order directed that the government buildings, premises should be utilized for holding of meetings and conferences instead.
“Utmost economy shall be observed in organizing conferences, seminars and workshops. Only such conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. which are absolutely necessary, should be held. Holding of exhibitions, fairs, seminars, conferences outside J&K is strongly discouraged except in the case of exhibition for tourism, art and craft and investment promotion,” read the order.
It has also ordered 10 percent economy cut on camps and seminars out of the budget estimates 2021-22
The Department has also imposed a 10 percent economic cut on the travel expenses out of the budget estimates of 2021-22.
The Finance Department also ordered that “purchase of new vehicles to meet the operational requirement is permitted, but only against condemnation as a replacement measure.”
It has also directed officers that “travel expenditure should be regulated so as to ensure that each department remains within the allocated budget.”
“International travel shall not be allowed unless specific permission is granted by the Finance Department,” reads the order
The officers have been directed that they should travel only by economy class regardless of entitlement.
“Facility of video conferencing may be used effectively and travel for the purpose of attending meetings should be avoided to the extent possible,” reads the order.
“In all cases of air travel, the lowest air fare ticket available for entitled class shall be availed,” it further reads.
The government has also imposed a ban on purchase of furniture for government offices. “No furniture shall be procured out of the available funds except in the case of newly established offices with the concurrence of the Finance Department,” reads the order.
The government has also imposed a ban on official lunches and dinners, except those hosted by the Chief Secretary or Governor or with the approval of the Governor.
According to the order, it also directed that during the last quarter of the current financial year, the expenditure should be limited to 30 percent of budget allocation and in the month of March, the expenditure should be limited to 10 percent of the budget estimates.
