New government order limits officials to one official vehicle each — All details inside!
- 1Eligible officers can now be allotted only one official vehicle
- 2Government vehicles that are not in use must be parked at designated locations
- 3Directive has been issued by the Department of Expenditure under the MoF
The Indian government has introduced a strict “One Officer, One Official Car” policy to tighten rules around the use of official vehicles and reduce unnecessary public expenditure. The directive, issued by the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance, has been circulated to all Union ministries and departments for immediate compliance.
What the new One officer, one official car — What the new rules say
Under the revised rules, an officer entitled to a government staff car cannot be allotted more than one official vehicle, even when holding additional charge of another ministry, department, public sector undertaking (PSU) or autonomous body.
The policy prevents separate vehicles from being allotted for multiple administrative roles held by the same officer. Central government officers are also prohibited from using vehicles belonging to PSUs, autonomous bodies or quasi-government organisations. However, they may use these vehicles during authorised official visits or while carrying out official work at the concerned organisation.
Restrictions on surplus and unused vehicles
The directive also requires ministries and departments to park surplus or unused government vehicles at designated locations. These vehicles must not be used unnecessarily or without proper authorisation.
The measure aims to improve the management of government vehicle fleets and reduce the misuse of vehicles that are not required for official duties.
New policy reinforces official vehicle rules issued in 2022
The latest directive reinforces similar guidelines issued in September 2022. The government has reiterated the rules to ensure their consistent implementation across ministries and departments. The existing fuel limit of around 250 litres per month for each official staff car remains in place. This cap is intended to control operating costs and monitor fuel consumption.
New policy targets official vehicle misuse and unnecessary costs
According to the Department of Expenditure, the policy aims to improve administrative efficiency, prevent misuse of government resources and reduce avoidable expenditure on official transport.
By limiting officers to one official vehicle and restricting the use of vehicles owned by other government bodies, the policy seeks to improve accountability and ensure more disciplined management of public assets.
New rules close gaps in official vehicle allocation
Officials holding multiple administrative responsibilities could previously have access to vehicles from different departments or organisations. The revised rules directly address this issue by limiting each eligible officer to one official vehicle.
The directive also places greater control over unused vehicles and their operating costs. Its effectiveness will depend on how consistently the new rules are implemented and monitored by individual ministries and departments.
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