Govt agencies not allowed to purchase cars above 3000CC

The government on Thursday instructed its agencies and offices not to procure cars above 3000CC as a part of austerity measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The instruction came up at a secretary-level meeting with cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam in the chair.

Most of the secretaries of different ministries and heads of government agencies attended the meeting.

In July 2020, the government suspended the purchase of vehicles for officials or projects until December 31, 2020, to cut public expenditure amid the disruption in economic activities due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Vehicles purchase for all government, semi-government, autonomous and other state-owned organisations has been suspended as part of government’s austerity measures and fight against the COVID-19.

The government ministries and divisions spend at least Tk 30 billion a year for purchasing vehicles, according to sources.

The government has so far announced a set of stimulus packages worth around $11.90 billion or nearly Tk 1.01 trillion to make up for the COVID-19 shocks in various sectors and minimize the sufferings of the people hit hard by the nationwide shutdown enforced to fend off the deadly virus.

The government also has a plan to introduce fresh packages to revive the economy in the upcoming fiscal year.

“The government’s new instruction to suspend the procurement of cars above 3000CC cars will help divert the fund for social welfare projects,” an official who attended at the meeting said.

The cabinet secretary also instructed to implement projects with proper feasibility study and design to stop wastage of the public fund.

“If any project is designed by any foreign company then it has to be reexamined,” another official said.

The meeting also discussed delegated procurement and direct procurement.

“The meeting said without necessity, direct procurement might be stopped,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.

“We have received instructions to complete on-going projects timely as per the instruction of the Prime Minister,” an official said.