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| Gleaming fleets of SUVs: Govt tears 'austerity' into pieces | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 4: Throwing the austerity measures it announced to tide over the prevailing financial crisis, the coalition Government has spent lakhs of rupees on the purchase of gleaming fleets of luxury SUVs for its Ministers and officers in last few years.
State Motor Garages (SMG), a unit of Transport Department, provided luxury Sport Utility Vehicles (SVUs) to the Ministers replacing the already purchased Ambassador Cars against the essence and spirit of austerity initiatives it announced.
Besides, the SMG also bought and provided such vehicles which can easily be bracketed into the category of luxurious vehicles to other VVIPs.
The information came to light in Government reply to a starred question tabled by National Conference (NC) MLA Peer Afaq Ahmed.
The figures provided in the reply pointed that as many as 24 Ambassador Cars were purchased by the SMG for their subsequent allotment to the Council of Ministers during the period from November 2008 to March 2009.
However, the SMG purchased 4 SUVs of Tata Safari make during 2009- 10 and allotted them to the Council of Ministers while in 2010-11 the SMG procured 19 Tata Safari vehicles and allotted them to the Council of Ministers in replacement of old Ambassador Cars.
During 2012-13, the SMG purchased 9 Tata Safari SVUs to facilitate the replacement of old Ambassadors Cars allotted to the Council of Ministers while during the period of 2013-14, the SMG procured one Tata Safari for making replacement of old vehicle allotted to the Speaker, State Legislative Assembly.
Not only the Ministers were allotted costly SUVs by the SMG, the bureaucrats and other senior officials were also allotted luxurious vehicles by it from November 2008 to 2013-14.
The SMG purchased two Maruti Swift Dzire Cars and allotted them to Public Service Commission while it procured one Multi-Utility Vehicle (MUV) Toyota Innova and one Chevrolet Optra and allotted them to Raj Bhavan during November 2008 to March 2009.
For the period of 2010-11, the SMG acquired 8 Maruti SX4 Cars and allotted them to Principal Secretary to Government and VIP fleet, one Maruti Swift Dezire Car and made its allotment to VIP fleet. During the same period, the SMG procured expensive Sonata Gold Car and allotted it to the Governor while it also purchased one Mahindra Bolero SUV and allotted it to Commissioner Civil Aviation.
In 2011-12, the SMG bought 12 Mahindra Scorpio SUVs and allotted them to Deputy Speaker of State Legislative Assembly, Chairmen, Chairpersons and Vice Chairmen of various Boards and Commissions.
Five Mahindra Bolero SUVs, one Mahindra Xylo MUV, 13 Maruti SX4 Cars and 2 Toyota Innova MUVs and allotted them to Mobile Magistrates/SMG Fleet, Chief Secretary, SMG Fleet, Principal Secretaries to Government/VIP fleet in replacement of old vehicles and SMG fleet respectively during the same period.
For the period of 2012-13, the SMG purchased 11 Maruti SX4 Cars and allotted them to VIP fleet in replacement of old vehicles while 3 Mahindra Scorpio SUVs were procured and allotted to SMG fleet during this period.
The SMG bought 2 Chevrolet Tavera and made its allotment to SMG fleet while it acquired 3 Toyota Innova MUVs and allotted them to Governor, Chief Vigilance Commissioner and Vigilance Commissioner during 2012-13.
During 2013-14, the SMG procured one Toyota Innova MUV and allotted it to Chairman of State Legislative Council in replacement of old vehicle. |
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