AP govt. chants austerity mantra

It prescribes dos and don’ts for departments. Ministers, other dignitaries of Cabinet rank and officials drawing salary of Rs. 80,000 (fixed) would only be permitted to travel by air in business class and all others eligible to travel by air should opt for economy class only for domestic travel.

Departments planning to host their conferences in five star hotels, providing a mix of entertainment to the participants, will have to withhold their plans.

The departments are advised to observe economy in expenditure in holding conferences/seminars/meetings and have been asked to avoid holding conferences in five star hotels except when absolutely necessary. The State Government has decided to forthwith clamp stringent restrictions on ‘entertaining at Government expenditure’.

Coming in the light of the financial constraints staring the new government, the orders issued on Tuesday prescribe a series of dos and don’ts to the departments with a caution that any failure to implement the instructions would be viewed seriously and “the budget of the department shall be curtailed to that extent”.

Accordingly, the departments have been asked to create posts based on absolute necessity and no proposal for upgradation would be entertained. The departments have been asked to critically review the necessity of continuing permitted number of outsourcing of staff and “see if the purpose can be served by reducing the number”.

“No proposal for abolition of existing revenue stream or concession of any kind which results in reduction of revenues shall be entertained”, the order issued by Principal Secretary Ajeya Kallam said adding proposal that involved additional burden on ex-chequer should not be permitted, except when absolutely necessary. While the ban on purchase of new vehicles would continue, the departments had been asked to examine the necessity of continuing already permitted number of hired vehicles and reduce them to the barest minimum.

Ministers, other dignitaries of Cabinet rank and officials drawing salary of Rs. 80,000 (fixed) would only be permitted to travel by air in business class and all others eligible to travel by air should opt for economy class only for domestic travel. “No foreign visits at the cost of State ex-chequer will be allowed.”

Expenditure on advertisements directly issued by the departments should be limited to “barest minimum” and should be paid by the budget provision of the department concerned. Relaxation to the restrictions would invariably require the approval of the Chief Minister, the orders added.