Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: The Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Transport Department has sanctioned the release of Rs 14.85 crore for the procurement of 90 new Mahindra Scorpio vehicles for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
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An official order, issued by the Secretary of the Transport Department, Niraj Kumar, stated that the funds will be drawn from the state’s Motor Garages capital expenditure budget for the financial year 2024-25.
The order stipulated that the advance drawl of funds is to be placed at the disposal of the Director, Motor Garages J&K, who will oversee the procurement process.
Vehicles will be purchased through an e-tendering process on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform, adhering to the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017.
The Government has instructed the Director, Motor Garages, and the Accounts Officer to ensure that the funds are used only for the intended purpose and not diverted for other expenses.
The order also specified that Utilization Certificates and Red Accounts for the advance drawl must be submitted by March 31, 2025.
Additionally, the Government has mandated that the advance payment made for the procurement must be adequately secured and guaranteed.
Despite the formal approval, some experts have raised concerns regarding the timing and necessity of such an expenditure.
According to one expert, who preferred to remain anonymous, the allocation of Rs 14.85 crore could be seen as a frivolous expense in the current financial climate.
“This Government could have used this amount for more pressing developmental needs rather than purchasing additional vehicles for MLAs,” the expert said.
Another expert questioned the rationale behind buying new vehicles for MLAs when the Government still possesses vehicles used by the legislators prior to 2018, when the previous Government was dissolved.
“They could have made use of the vehicles available from before instead of investing in new ones,” the expert noted.
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