Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Department has issued an advisory promoting prudent and conscious use of government resources, particularly official vehicles and fuel consumption, in view of the prevailing global economic uncertainty and evolving international situation.
The initiative has been undertaken under the guidance of Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee following the prime minister’s call for sustainable resource management and energy conservation.
As part of the measures aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs, the Department has advised officers using official vehicles for meetings, inspections, field visits, and other official engagements to adopt vehicle pooling or ride-sharing practices wherever feasible.
According to the advisory, such collective transport arrangements are expected to help reduce avoidable fuel expenditure, strengthen administrative efficiency, and contribute towards national energy conservation efforts. Senior officers attending meetings or events will coordinate the pooling mechanism.
The Department has also urged officers and employees to avoid using official vehicles for lunch outings or other non-essential short-distance personal convenience trips during office hours. Officials have instead been encouraged to use shared transport and environmentally friendly alternatives for shorter distances.
The advisory has been extended to all agencies and organisations functioning under the Department, including EIC (PH), Directorate of Municipal Administration, Directorate of Town Planning, Valuation Organisation, Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, SUDs, OSSSB, UIDF, OSHB, Cuttack Urban Transport Corporation, BMRCL, WATCO, OUHM, OUA, ORIET, and ORERA.
All organisations under the Department have been instructed to implement similar fuel conservation and resource optimisation measures with sincerity and commitment.
Through the initiative, the additional chief secretary has called upon officers and employees to demonstrate administrative discipline and contribute towards addressing current global economic and energy-related challenges.
