Srinagar, Oct 22 ( KINS) : The newly elected legislators of Jammu and Kashmir will be getting plush vehicles, with the government ordering 90 SUVs for them. The Scorpio vehicles delivered by Mahindra will cost the exchequer an estimated ₹14.85 crore, according to an official order.
This comes a day after the 89 legislators were administered oath by the Protem speaker at the Legislative Assembly in Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah won from two seats, including Budgam and Ganderbal. However, he announced that he would retain the Ganderbal seat and resign from Budgam, which will now see a by-poll.
The J&K Director of Motor Garages, responsible for providing vehicles to ministers and officials, has been assigned to oversee the procurement of the vehicles. The vehicles will be procured through the Government e-Marketplace (GEM) portal, following the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, including all necessary e-tendering and procedural formalities.
According to the order, the department is responsible for securing and guaranteeing all financial transactions on the procurement and utilization certificates, with red accounts to be submitted by March 31, 2025. The funds must be exclusively used for vehicle procurement and cannot be diverted or reallocated for other purposes.
However, the order has clearly stated that new posts for drivers will not be created, with an official stating they have requisite staff for this purpose. Additionally, the department has been instructed to ensure that there is no idle parking of the funds.
The Omar Abdullah-led government took over after securing a majority by winning 42 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 29 seats. Six seats were won by Congress, three by PDP, one each by CPI(M) and Peoples Conference, and seven independents were elected.
A senior official from J&K Motor Garages told ETV Bharat that the Scorpio vehicles will not be equipped with high-range features, including bulletproof, as was the practice earlier. “They will be plain vehicles as the previous vehicles have outlived their life,” he said.
Earlier, the J&K Police security was providing bullet-proof vehicles to the legislators, but now the J&K Motor Garages department has been entrusted with this responsibility, the official added. The Jammu and Kashmir Police falls under the domain of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the new set of rules in the Union Territory.
The Jammu and Kashmir transport department has framed rules named the J&K State Car Policy, entitling various categories, including ministers, to a sedan or SUV up to ₹15 lakh.( KINS)
