PANAJI
In a bid to streamline vehicle usage among non-eligible staff and reduce costs, the Goa government has mandated that all Heads of Departments must hire vehicles through open tenders or quotations from the market, with prior approval from the Finance Department. This decision came after finding that non-eligible staff members were using departmental vehicles.
A circular issued by the Finance Department after approval of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has listed out vehicles to be hired based on the rank of the officers and officials, and monthly billing is limited to a minimum number of working hours and kms.
“It has been observed that various departments face difficulties as regards the flexibility of working hours of vehicles hired from GTDC. It is also noticed that despite office vehicles being present in working condition, vehicles are being hired and some are being used by non-eligible category of staff. Further, non-field functionaries, who are not entitled to vehicles, also use these vehicles for commuting purposes,” reads the circular signed by under secretary (Finance-Exp) Naresh Gaude.
The government referred to the Department of Personnel’s 2019 office memorandum that stated the proposal for the outsourcing of vehicles should be referred to the Finance Department.
“Hence, for better price discovery in order to cut down the cost and to provide flexibility of timing, etc, to the various user Departments, it has been decided by the Government that henceforth, all the Head of the Departments shall mandatorily hire the vehicles from open market through call of tenders/quotations. Prior approval of the Finance Department shall be mandatorily obtained before any codal formalities are initiated for hiring of vehicles,” the current circular further said.
The upper ceiling limit of rates per km for hiring these vehicles would be the ones notiï¬ed by the Department of Transport from time to time.
Further, it added, departments that engaged vehicles from open market/GTDC shall resubmit all such proposals for approval of the Finance Department after the current duration’s expiry. These instructions are also applicable to vehicles engaged by the works executing departments -- PWD, Electricity, WRD, Agriculture, RDA, Panchayat, etc even if such vehicles are hired against the work.
“The Directorate of Accounts shall not entertain the bills of vehicles hired by Departments without prior approval of the Finance Department,” it added.
