SRINAGAR: Jammu and 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 rules.
The direction came after Transport Minister Satish Sharma presented a status report on the policy in the Legislative Assembly, stating that the department would undertake necessary inter-departmental consultations and complete the formalities required for its finalisation.
Rather had earlier taken note of the delay and directed the concerned minister to submit a status report during the ongoing Assembly 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 concern and underlined the need for clear and updated rules governing the entitlement and use of government vehicles.
The Speaker said the use of multiple government vehicles beyond the prescribed entitlement could be termed misuse of public resources.
He, however, clarified that the issue was not directed against government officers, who, he said, should be provided vehicles and other facilities to which they were legitimately entitled under the existing rules.
Rather observed that the matter had been moving between departments for nearly five years despite the importance of having a clearly defined policy.
He stressed that the policy should be finalised expeditiously, particularly in view of concerns over the proper and judicious use of public resources.
The Speaker also noted that the government had already accepted in principle the need for 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 it.
