Bhubaneswar, 12 June (H.S.): In response to the ongoing fuel and energy challenges triggered by the West Asia conflict, the Odisha government has introduced measures to rationalise the use of official vehicles across departments.

The state's Finance Department on Friday issued an office memorandum directing all government departments to strictly adhere to the new guidelines aimed at conserving fuel and reducing energy consumption.

“In view of the prevailing fuel and energy challenges arising from the recent West Asia crisis, the State Government is pleased to issue the following instructions for strict compliance by all concerned,” the memorandum stated.

Under the revised norms, only officers holding the rank of Special Secretary and above will be entitled to an independent official vehicle for government duties.

The government has also stipulated that officers promoted to the rank of Additional Secretary on or after June 1, 2026, will be required to use pool vehicles for official purposes. Such officers will become eligible for an independent vehicle only after completing three years of service in the rank of Additional Secretary.

Further, officers serving in the ranks of Under Secretary to Joint Secretary in Administrative Departments, along with officials of equivalent rank in various Heads of Departments, will be provided with shared transport facilities. According to the guidelines, at least two to three officers will share a single pool vehicle.

The memorandum also encourages officials to opt for public transportation wherever feasible. Officers travelling to distant locations within the state have been advised to use bus or rail services instead of official vehicles.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda