The Central Government has introduced a new “One Officer, One Official Car” policy to prevent the misuse of government vehicles.
Under the new rule, senior officers will not be allowed to use more than one official car, even if they are given additional charge of another ministry, department, public sector undertaking (PSU), or autonomous body.
One Officer Can Have Only One Official Car
The new policy says that if an officer is already entitled to an official car, they cannot receive another government vehicle for any additional responsibility.
Instead, they must continue using the official car already assigned to them.
New Guidelines Issued to All Ministries
The Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance has issued a new Office Memorandum (OM) asking all Union ministries and departments to strictly follow the revised rules.
These guidelines strengthen the rules that were first introduced in September 2022 for the use of government vehicles.
Restrictions on Using PSU Vehicles
The new rules also state that Central Government officers cannot use vehicles belonging to PSUs, autonomous bodies, or quasi-government organisations unless they are on official duty or an approved tour.
The government has also directed ministries to keep unused or extra vehicles in safe custody instead of using them unofficially.
Aim Is to Reduce Misuse and Save Public Money
According to the Department of Expenditure, the new policy is meant to improve the use of government resources, prevent misuse of official vehicles, and reduce unnecessary spending.
The government believes the “One Officer, One Official Car” rule will make the management of official vehicles more efficient and promote better financial discipline across ministries and departments.
The Centre has asked all ministries and departments to ensure strict implementation of the new guidelines.
