Questions 24-day wait after GAD clearance
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 24: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Thursday took strong exception to the Government’s delay in implementing the proposed “one officer, one vehicle” policy, questioning Transport Minister Satish Sharma over why no action had been taken nearly a month after the General Administration Department (GAD) cleared the draft.
The issue came up during Question Hour in response to a question by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania, with Rather pressing the minister to explain the delay in finalising the Government Vehicle Management Policy, 2026.
Sharma told the House that the revised policy was under consideration and that the GAD had given the Transport Department the go-ahead on September 1. He said the policy would be notified within two months after inter-departmental consultations.
The proposed policy seeks to introduce the principle of “one vehicle-one officer” across government departments, PSUs, boards and autonomous bodies, with exceptions for security requirements, field duties, additional charges, operational exigencies and specific functional requirements.
Intervening, Rather questioned why the Government needed another two months when a committee had already examined the existing policy and submitted its recommendations.
“You said it will take two months to notify the new policy. That means the earlier policy is still in vogue. But you also said the 2015 policy is not relevant,” Rather said, asking the minister what had been done in the 24 days since the GAD clearance.
“How many months do you take to go through files? This is an important matter,” the Speaker said.
When Rather pressed Sharma on whether another two months would be required, the minister said inter-departmental consultations were underway.
The Speaker questioned the need for further consultations when a high-level committee had already deliberated on the matter and submitted its recommendations. Sharma then said he would study the file and provide the House with the information.
Rather also questioned the practice of officers holding charge of more than one department using multiple government vehicles.
“It is a question of State resources. Jammu & Kashmir is a poor State and it cannot afford luxury,” the Speaker said.
Earlier, Sharma said the draft Government Vehicle Management Policy, 2026 had been prepared following recommendations of a committee constituted by the GAD to review the existing car policy.
He said the proposed framework was aimed at rationalising the government vehicle fleet, ensuring optimum utilisation of resources and promoting economy in government expenditure.
The Speaker directed the Government to place a definite timeline for finalisation and implementation of the revised policy before the House during the ongoing Autumn Session.
