Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Department of Odisha on Saturday issued an advisory for its officials, urging prudent and conscious use of government resources, with a special focus on official vehicles and fuel consumption amid prevailing global economic uncertainty.
Advisory on Resource Management
The department stated that the initiative, aimed at promoting cost-saving and sustainable resource management across its offices and affiliated organizations, was taken under the guidance of Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee. This move aligns 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.
Vehicle Pooling and Ride-Sharing Encouraged
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. This is intended to help reduce unnecessary fuel expenditure while ensuring optimum utilization of government 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.
Expected Benefits
“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 department.
Scope of the Advisory
The department has extended the advisory to all agencies and organizations functioning under its administrative control, including the 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.
This initiative is expected to promote a culture of resource conservation and responsible governance across the state's urban development sector.
