Haryana government slams brakes on plans to buy new vehicles

The Haryana government on Thursday decided to put a complete ban on the purchase of new vehicles, including cars and jeeps, except buses for public transport and vehicles used for emergency responses during the current financial year.

A decision in this regard was taken in the Haryana cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, an official statement said.

(Related read: Haryana government hikes VAT on diesel, petrol prices, raises bus fares)

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.

Chief Minister Khattar had recently said that Haryana was losing a whopping ₹4,600 crore revenue.

While maintaining that state's revenue sources had dried up in the wake of 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.

Meanwhile, in another decision, the cabinet accorded ex-post facto approval to the proposal to purchase Gold Field Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Chhainsa village in Faridabad.