The Sikkim government has announced a one-year ban on the purchase of new official vehicles as part of a wider austerity and fuel conservation initiative aimed at reducing government expenditure and promoting responsible governance. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced the measures during a high-level administrative meeting held on May 14. The meeting was attended by Cabinet ministers, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Heads of Departments, District Collectors and Superintendents of Police, while senior officials from other districts joined virtually. The decisions were taken in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity, fuel conservation and efficient use of public resources.
Under the new directives, all government departments and offices across Sikkim have been prohibited from purchasing new official vehicles for one year. However, emergency service vehicles and police vehicles have been kept outside the restriction due to operational and public safety requirements. Officials said the move is intended to strengthen financial discipline, reduce administrative expenses and ensure optimum utilisation of existing government resources at a time of rising global economic and energy concerns.
In another major announcement, the Chief Minister said his own official motorcade would be reduced by 50 per cent as a symbolic step to encourage fuel conservation and public participation in the campaign. The government has also withdrawn pilot vehicles allotted to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. Fuel consumption linked to vehicles assigned to ministers and MLAs will additionally be reduced by 20 per cent.