Delhi Government has ordered removal of escort cars to all the 11 Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Revenue and cut back on enhanced fuel benefits too. As per security protocol, only the Chief Secretary of Delhi is entitled to a personal security officer (PSO). Escort vehicles were used alongside the official car of the Deputy Commissioners (Revenue) but without official sanction.
In a strongly worded note issued to Divisional Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, Chief Secretary Deepak Mohan Spolia has expressed his annoyance of Deputy Commissioners using escort vehicles with PSOs without entitlement. When asked, Divisional Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti denied Deputy Commissioners using pilot cars with PSOs. Sources in the Revenue Department however, confirmed that some Deputy Commissioners were indeed using escort vehicles with the help of local police. Deputy Commissioners are not entitled to escort or pilot cars. In Delhi, only the Chief Secretary is entitled to a PSO who goes with him in his car.
The origins of this confidential note are not without drama. A junior level officer accompanied by a PSO and an escort car arrived at a function where a number of senior officials were present. This incident provoked the Chief Secretary to issue a directive in this regard.
The Pioneer has accessed Spolia’s note wherein he has sought details of deployment of vehicles to Deputy Commissioners and volunteers of Civil Defence. “Deputy Commissioners are using vehicles and staff as escorts and pilots. Vehicles meant for disaster management are to be located at district headquarters for the dedicated use of disaster management only. Therefore, if the vehicles are being used for any other purposes, this would constitute an improper use of vehicles. Therefore, separately details of vehicles attached to the DCs, ADMs and SDMs should be furnished to rationalise the deployment,” the note said.
The note further states, “It is not clear whether approvals of Government have been solicited and obtained for deployment of vehicles and staff for the purpose of escorts and pilots. The diverted use of these vehicles should be stopped forthwith”.
Sources said the fuel limit per month is being slashed to 200 litres. The order to enhance fuel limit up to 400 litres to Deputy Commissioners was issued last month. The department may separately place a proposal for consideration of Government in select cases for a higher limit where the headquarters and Deputy Commissioner’s office are located at a distance from offices where officers need to attend meetings. The limit for 400 litres is obviously excessive for inter alia Deputy Commissioners located in Civil lines, New Delhi or Central Delhi. Therefore, the limit would depend on the location of district headquarters.
The Divisional Commissioner’s office had sought permission to allow escort vehicle and red beacon to Deputy Commissioners a few years back. The same was rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). A Deputy Commissioner said, on condition of anonymity, that Deputy Commissioners (Revenue) are also District Magistrates of the area, so they should be allowed a pilot vehicle with a PSO like other States. “Just compare the facilities being provided to a District Magistrate in UP and other States with a District Magistrate in the national Capital,” said official.