Uttarakhand officials instructed not to use official vehicles.

Dehradun, Mar 17 (UNI) Uttarakhand Government has directed government servants to avoid using official vehicles and travel by train to cut the burden on the exchequer.

The officials have been instructed to take prior permission from their higher authorities to use government vehicles in unavoidable circumstances, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subhash Kumar said in an official release today.

Mr Kumar said all the official visits would be conducted by trains to Delhi, Lucknow and all other places that are connected through railway lines.

He said the government has taken the decision to curb expenses.

All the Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and Head of the Departments are expected to follow the instruction effectively, he added.

Looking into the financial burden on the state, the Chief Minister Maj-Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri had earlier emphasised on financial management to solve the debt menace. As soon as he took over as the Chief Minister he had cut down his convoy of seven vehicles to two only. He had earlier stated that the State was bound to pay Rs 1000 crore as an interest per year over the principal amount.

UNI