An indemnity innovation!

But that there could be an invidious downside even to the implemented parts of ADPs was something that escaped us until the parliamentary standing committee on establishment ministry spilled the beans about thousands of development project-related vehicles remaining untraceable for years. According to an establishment ministry report submitted to the parliamentary committee on March 30, out of a total 26,651 vehicles purchased for 615 development projects under 43 ministries and divisions, between 1997 and 2004, only 303 vehicles were returned to the central transport pool on completion of the projects. The reminder 26,349 vehicles are unaccounted for, which practically means though, that these are being used unauthorisedly and, therefore, culpably so.

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The users being high government officials in clear breach of rules which required transports be handed over to the central transport pool on completion of projects those were attached to, are certainly liable to answer for their conduct. Furthermore, fuel costs for the transports were borne out of the government exchequer. Under what head or authority, who knows? If the money was drawn from the revenue budget, then the concept of budgetary discipline stood negated. Who will account for the unauthorised spending of public money?

When such questions have been making rounds and clamours are being heard for early identification and punishment of the guilty, we have the surprise news that the government might be contemplating to amend the rule on return of project vehicles which will have the effect of condoning the unauthorised use of public vehicles. In other words, the practice will be legalised, if and when such an amendment is carried out.

We urge the government to eschew the path and pay heed to the suggestions which are two-fold from our side: first, let there be a scooping investigation into the messy affair leading to fixation of responsibility and punitive action against the guilty; and second, we would like to see a comprehensive code formulated for use of government vehicles including transports attached to development projects after completion of the undertakings.