AAP government to cap purchases of copiers, vehicles

In an attempt to cut down expenses, the AAP government has put a cap on the purchase of expensive photocopiers, scanners and vehicles in the national capital. The decision to stop procurement of expensive machines and vehicles was reportedly taken after the government received about two dozen proposals in this connection from various wings in the recent past.

An order to this effect, issued by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, said that the finance department would consider only such proposals which were personally certified by the concerned administrative secretary that the specifications for the proposed purchases were absolutely essential and they indeed proposed to buy the cheapest model available.

The order stated: “It has been seen that towards the end of the financial year many departments have proposed to procure expensive photocopiers, scanne-rs, vehicles etc. Mere end-orsement of junior officer’s note will not be considered for concurrence by the fi-nance department. The ad-ministrative secretary nee-ds to give his/ her recommendation categorically.”

The AAP government’s order has come in wake of the instructions from the Centre directing state administrations to avoid rush of expenditure on procurements during the last quarter of the fiscal year and, in particular, the last month of the year so as to ensure that all procedures are complied with and there is no infructuous or wasteful expenditure. The Centre had made it clear that no fresh financial commitments should be made on items which were not provided for in the approved budget. It said that the instructions would be applicable to the autonomous bodies as well.

The Centre had also asked the state governments to furnish monthly returns of plan expenditure — Central, centrally-sponsored or state plan — to respective ministries or departments along with a report on amounts outstanding in their public account. The Centre had also directed the chief controller of accounts to ensure compliance of its directives as part of its pre-payment scrutiny.

Earlier, in a office memorandum, the Centre had put a ban on holding of meetings and conferences at five-star hotels. The memorandum said: “Utmost economy shall be observed in organising conferences, seminars and workshops. Only such conferences, workshops, seminars etc. which are absolutely essential should be held.”