SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 30: Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Wednesday directed the government to finalise and notify the new Car Policy within 15 days, taking serious note of the prolonged delay in framing the policy.
The direction came after Transport Minister Satish Sharma presented a status report on the proposed Car Policy during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Assembly.
Sharma said the department would undertake the necessary inter-departmental consultations and complete the requisite formalities for finalisation of the policy.
The Speaker had earlier taken note of the delay in formulation of the new Car Policy and directed the concerned Minister to submit a status report during the ongoing session.
“The new Car Policy should be finalised and notified within 15 days. This matter should not be allowed to remain pending any further,” Rather said.
He said complaints regarding the alleged misuse of public resources were a matter of serious concern and underscored the need for clear and updated rules governing the entitlement and use of government vehicles.
Rather said he would not hesitate to term the use of multiple government vehicles beyond the prescribed entitlement as misuse of public resources.
He, however, clarified that his observations were not directed against government officers, who should be provided vehicles and other facilities to which they are legitimately entitled under the prescribed rules.
The Speaker observed that the matter had been moving from one department to another for nearly five years despite its importance.
He stressed the need for expeditious finalisation of the policy, particularly amid concerns over the proper and judicious use of public resources.
Rather also noted that the government had already accepted in principle the need to introduce a new Car Policy and questioned the repeated movement of the proposal between departments, including the need to send it back to the Finance Department.
He emphasised that the entitlement of government functionaries should be clearly defined through a comprehensive policy and directed that there should be no further delay in finalising and notifying the new policy.
