Srinagar, September 24: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather questioned Transport Minister Satish Sharma over the practice of providing multiple government vehicles to officers holding additional departmental charges.
The issue came up during Assembly proceedings on Thursday after Sharma referred to the arrangement as a “legacy issue” and said the government would examine the matter and take corrective measures.
Questioning the practice, Rather asked why an officer holding additional charge of another department should require a separate vehicle assigned to that department.
The Speaker also questioned the justification for continuing a practice simply because it had existed for a long time.
“If the legacy issue is wrong, will you follow that?” Rather asked.
Sharma responded that the government would look into the matter and take steps to correct the existing practice.
Rather directed the Transport Minister to bring complete details before the House during the ongoing Assembly session, stressing that the matter involved the use of public resources.
The Speaker also raised concerns over situations where several vehicles are used by officers and their staff when a single vehicle could potentially meet the requirement.
Highlighting the government’s financial constraints, Rather said public resources should be used carefully and questioned the need for what he described as unnecessary expenditure on vehicles.
Sharma assured the Speaker that he would examine the issue and provide the required information to the House during the ongoing session.
