Urban development dept calls for prudent and conscious use of govt resources

Bhubaneswar: Housing and urban development department on Saturday issued an advisory for its officials, calling for prudent and conscious use of govt resources, with a special focus on official vehicles and fuel consumption amid prevailing global economic uncertainty.The department said the initiative, aimed at promoting cost-saving and sustainable resource management across its offices and affiliated organisations, was taken under the guidance of additional chief secretary Usha Padhee, in line with the Prime Minister’s call for energy conservation and responsible use of public resources.Padhee called on all officials to demonstrate discipline and actively contribute to the larger goal of addressing economic and energy challenges through responsible governance practices.According to the advisory, officials using official vehicles for meetings, inspections, field visits and other engagements have been asked to adopt “vehicle pooling” or “ride-sharing” practices, wherever feasible, to help reduce unnecessary fuel expenditure, while ensuring optimum utilisation of govt vehicles.Employees have been urged not to use official vehicles for lunch outings or other non-essential short-distance trips for personal convenience during office hours. Instead, they have been encouraged to use environment-friendly alternatives, particularly for short distances.“The advisory is part of a broader effort to strengthen administrative discipline while responding to current economic and energy-related pressures. By reducing avoidable vehicle movement and promoting shared mobility, the department expects to improve operational efficiency and cut down on recurring fuel costs,” said an official of the dept.The department has extended the advisory to all agencies and organisations functioning under its administrative control — engineer-in-chief (public health), Directorate of Municipal Administration, Directorate of Town Planning, Valuation Organisation, all municipal corporations, development authorities, Special Urban Development bodies, OSSSB, UIDF, Odisha State Housing Board, Urban Transport Corporation, BMRCL, WATCO, Odisha Urban Housing Mission, Odisha Urban Academy, ORIET and ORERA.