The state government of Haryana has announced a complete ban on new vehicles for the current financial year including cars and UVs further stating that in case of very urgent need, outsourcing or renting of vehicles should be done, PTI reported. While the matter made headlines since yesterday, some of them seem to suggest that purchase of all vehicles is banned. The ban, however, is only on vehicles for the Haryana Government staff and does not include buses for public transport and vehicles used for emergency response or personal vehicles. It should be noted though that all car plants and dealerships are closed during the lockdown leading to zero sales but that has nothing to do with this ban. The auto sector is presently gearing up to restart production and sales in the coming days based on announcements from the government.
A decision on the matter was taken in the Haryana cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, an official statement said. The cabinet has also decided that even in case of very urgent need of a new car or jeep, outsourcing/hiring of the vehicles should be done.
Haryana’s revenue sources have dried up in view of the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown, which has adversely affected all economic activities, and the present measures are aimed to cut down on expenses. CM Khattar had recently said that Haryana was losing a whopping Rs 4,600 crore revenue.
While maintaining that state’s revenue sources had dried up in the wake of the present crisis situation, Khattar on Wednesday had said, “We will have to curtail our expenses and generate sources of income.” Clarifying his earlier statement that new recruitment in the state will remain “frozen” for one year, he said the directive will remain applicable for universities.
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The movement of government vehicles is now also disrupted within states owing to the lockdown. In recent developments, Ghaziabad district administration issued an advisory for officers of both Delhi and central governments restricting movement of their vehicles between 9 am to 6 pm during the lockdown.
It is often observed that their vehicles are plying during office hours and this type of shunting makes the lockdown ineffective, Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told PTI. He said the new guidelines will be applicable with immediate effect.
