Economy Measures on Non-Plan Government Expenditure

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
FINANCE (AUDIT) DEPARTMENT
NABANNA, MANDIRTALA, HOWRAH-711 102

No. 4201-F(P)/FA/O/2M/71/18(NB). Dated, Howrah, the 2nd July, 2018.

MEMORANDUM

Sub: Circular of Economy Measures.

Observance of economy on Government expenditure and to cut down avoidable expenditure has all along been stressed upon by the State Government. Instructions to this effect have earlier been issued urging upon all Government Departments to adopt economy measures on different counts.

Now, in supersession of the earlier order, the following economy measures shall be adopted to cut down avoidable non-plan expenditure of the State Government:

1. All Meetings/ Conferences/ Seminars etc. must be held in Government premises. No meeting/ Conference/ Seminars should be held at any Hotel/ Private Facility or the like without the approval of the Chief Secretary.
2. In the name of beautification there shall be no expenditure on furnishing of office rooms, guest house, etc. The Head of the Department can accord necessary approval to such expenditure of not more than Rs. 5 lakh for any financial year.
3. The decoration and other arrangements of the venues of meeting/ conference should be simple and expenditure on this item should be kept at the minimum. Ostentatious decoration of the venues of meetings, conferences etc. shall be stopped.
4. The practice of offering bouquet to greet the dignitaries, except the State Guests and the dignitaries coming from outside the State, should be stopped.
5. Small lunch packet/ simple food packet only may be served in the meeting and cost on refreshment should be restricted.
6. No lavish reception/ meet shall be organized by any Government Department or by any State PSU, local Bodies, Boards, Corporations, Undertakings and other Grant-in-Aid Institutions except for national/ international events and those events are duly approved by the Chief Secretary.
7. The practice of offering expensive gifts/ mementos, except to State Guests and foreign dignitaries, should be stopped. The expenditure on stationery given to the participants in the meeting should be minimum. It should invariably be restricted to a writing pad and a simple pen. Only a simple bag may be given in very special cases.
8. Frequent meetings at the State Headquarters/ Regional Headquarters requiring presence of the field officers must be avoided. The facility of video conferencing should be used as far as possible.
9. No new vehicle will be purchased except for meeting operational requirement of the departments responsible for providing essential and emergency services. Purchase and hiring of new vehicles shall not be made by any department without specific approval of Finance Department.
10. Restriction on consumption of fuel for both operational and non-operational vehicle as existing shall continue to be strictly adhered to. Attempt should be taken to use pool vehicles in a rational manner and to ensure that the officers are provided a pool vehicle, as per entitlement, instead of individual vehicle.
11. Installation of A.C. Machines shall be strictly need-based and as per existing entitlement of the officer concerned to save power consumption and money.
12. Visits of Officers to Delhi and to other States should be undertaken only when it is absolutely necessary with the permission of appropriate authority.
13. All journeys shall be made as per the entitlement of the officer. When such journey is performed by air, it must be in the Economy Class for all travels within the country.
14. No foreign trip shall be allowed except only those cases where the same has been specifically approved by the State Government. Prior permission shall be obtained as required under the standing circular of the Government.
15. All proposals for creation of posts in Government Establishment, Local Bodies, Boards, Corporations, Undertakings and other Grant-in-Aid Institutions as well as for filling up of posts shall be scrutinized by a State Level Committee constituted for the purpose before being concurred by the Finance Department and placed before the Cabinet for consideration.

All the above shall be applicable, mutatis mutandis, to all Statutory and Local Bodies, Autonomous Bodies, Corporations, Undertakings, Rural and Urban Local Bodies and other institutions receiving Grant-in-Aid from the State Government.

The Departmental Secretaries shall enforce these restrictions in their Departments/ attached and sub-ordinate offices and other Bodies/ Agencies under the Department.

This will take immediate effect.

Chief Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal.

No. 4201-F dated 02.07.2018, Source