October 26: The government has fixed a new criteria to reduce unnecessary expenses under its austerity measures.

As per the recent cabinet meeting, the government bodies will not be allowed to purchase any new four-wheeler except for health service and election-related works either with funds provided by the government, foreign aid or using loans. The government has adopted a policy to repair the existing four-wheelers as part of its austerity measures. Any vehicle that is older than 20 years and of no use to the government must be mandatorily auctioned, as per the government’s decision.

The government has also decided to tighten internal visits as well as foreign trips of civil servants and ministers. According to the latest decision, government officials will not be allowed to utilize resources and funds from the state coffers to attend foreign programmes at the invitation of non-governmental organisations. However, officials can make foreign trip for essential purpose under the preconditions set by the finance ministry.

Likewise, office bearers of public bodies cannot make foreign visits sponsored by construction entrepreneurs or the consultants. Similarly, the government has provisioned not more than three persons of any public office to visit foreign countries for official work.

Government officials need to take permission from the concerned secretaries or the chief district officers to use government vehicles during public holidays.

The government has also decided not to spend money on unnecessary advertisements.