The Centre may have imposed fresh austerity measures on babus, but in a significant move it has lifted imposition of such measures on Defence, paramilitary and security-related organisations like Intelligence agencies so that their operational efficiency is not compromised.
The move will facilitate acquisition of vehicles and other operational items by Defence and paramilitary forces.
“Purchase of new vehicles to meet operational requirement of Defence Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces and security related organisations are permitted. Ban on purchase of other vehicles (including staff cars) will continue except against condemnation,” Secretary (Expenditure) Ratan P Watal said in an order on “Expenditure Management—Economy Measures and Rationalisation of Expenditure.”
The order, however, instructed ministries and departments to cut discretionary spending by 10 per cent. As part the fiscal prudence, the Finance Ministry banned first class travel by government officials, meetings in five-star hotels, purchase of cars and put a ban on creation of new posts.
“Such measures are intended at promoting fiscal discipline without restricting the operational efficiency of the Government. In the context of the current fiscal situation, there is a need to continue to rationalize expenditure and optimise available resources,” Watal added in the office memorandum dated October 29 but issued on Thursday.
The UPA Government had through an order issued on May 31, 2012 banned purchase of vehicles. “Purchase of vehicles is banned until further orders, including against condemned vehicles,” the order had underscored.
Following requests for seeking exemption from austerity instructions from paramilitary forces, NIA and IB, the Union Home Ministry in consultation with Finance Ministry relaxed the conditions through an order issued on July 16 last year. However, the order put in place certain outlandish conditions for the relaxation including doing away with the delegation of authority for condemnation of vehicles to the Directors General of paramilitary forces.
The condition included replacement of vehicles on like to like basis meaning that a Maruti Gypsy vehicle had to be replaced by the same make of the vehicle. Paramilitary forces, especially those deployed in counter insurgency and anti-Naxal operations like the CRPF and BSF have sought acquisition of a variety of vehicles to camouflage themselves in disturbed areas like Jammu and Kashmir besides the Naxal-hit States. Certain types of vehicles like Maruti Gypsy and Mahindra Bolero are identified with the security forces and often targeted by the insurgents and Naxals and availability of such type of vehicles that are used as taxis and by civilians often help them in keeping their identity under wraps, senior paramilitary officials said.
for sake of efficiency