Bhubaneswar: In a major austerity drive triggered by global geopolitical tensions, the Odisha government has implemented strict measures to rationalise the use of official vehicles across all state departments and public sector undertakings.
The directive, issued by the Finance Department via an official memorandum, comes in response to escalating fuel costs and energy challenges linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Under the new guidelines, independent vehicle privileges have been significantly curtailed, forcing a shift toward vehicle pooling and public transportation for state bureaucrats.
According to the new regulations, only senior bureaucrats holding the rank of Special Secretary and above will retain the entitlement to an independent official vehicle. For mid-level administration, the rules have tightened substantially. Officers promoted to the rank of Additional Secretary on or after June 1, 2026, will now be required to use official vehicles from a shared pool. These officers will only qualify for an independent vehicle after completing three full years of service in that specific rank.
However, the government clarified that Additional Secretaries, who were already allotted an independent vehicle on or before May 31, 2026, will be allowed to keep their transport.
The pooling mandate becomes even more stringent for lower-profile administrative roles. Officers ranging from the rank of Under Secretary up to Joint Secretary, including their equivalents across various Heads of Departments, must transition entirely to pool vehicles. At least two to three officials must share a single vehicle during their daily operations.
To standardise the financial impact on these employees, a uniform monthly deduction of Rs 1,680 will be levied for the use of pool vehicles, regardless of the officer’s exact designation, adhering to a framework established in an earlier Finance Department memorandum from January 2025.
Beyond daily commutes, the state is also targeting long-distance travel expenses. The directive explicitly instructs all officials to opt for public transit, such as trains or buses, whenever practicable when embarking on official tours to distant locations within Odisha, rather than deploying government cars.
