This minister has seven official cars

He is entitled to only one! Minister of state for Agriculture KV Thomas using cars of central PSUs; says he will ask his official secretary to look into the matter

He is entitled to only one! Minister of state for Agriculture KV Thomas using cars of central PSUs; says he will ask his official secretary to look into the matter

Even in Delhi, the nation's power centre, few can flaunt a convoy of seven cars.
But, if you are a union minister it is not that difficult a feat, even if you are not entitled to such luxury.
Union minister of state for agriculture KV Thomas has at his disposal seven cars, six of them official ambassadors and a taxi, belonging to different public sector units (PSUs).


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The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions had sent a memorandum to all union ministries on February 22 stating that officials of the central government cannot access the infrastructure or facilities owned by the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

"The ministries /departments are accordingly requested to issue suitable instructions to all concerned for not utilising the infrastructure of any CPSEs by the officers/staff in the government departments and that any such use shall attract suitable action against them," the order read.

Snooping activist
Based on that direction, 15 RTI applications were filed with different departments under the ministry of agriculture seeking details of how many vehicles belonging to different CPSEs were in use by the union minister, the details of the vehicles etc.

The RTIs, filed with Department of Consumer affairs, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Department of

The Other Side

"It is very difficult to keep track of each and every thing that happens in the ministry. Earlier there were two MoS in the Agriculture Ministry but now I am single-handedly looking after all the departments. However, I will ask my private secretary to look into the matter and initiate an inquiry." -u00a0Prof KV Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture

Agriculture and Cooperation, Central Warehousing Corporation and Food Corporation of India, exposed how MoS Agriculture was using seven cars in all, three of which belong to the CPSEs.

Thomas is using three ambassador cars, two belonging to the Food Corporation of India and one from Central Warehousing Corporation.

The Food Corporation of India, in its reply to the RTI, said: "One official vehicle has been placed at the disposal of the office of the Hon'ble Minister of State for Agriculture, CAF&PD... Whereas for the office of Hon'ble MoS, we have provided a DLY Taxi from May 2009 for regular usage onu00a0 a monthly basis."

The Central Warehousing Corporation also replied in the affirmative that it has provided a car for Thomas.

Apart from three cars belonging to the CPSEs, Thomas has four vehicles belonging to Department of Agriculture, Food, Consumer Affairs and Indian Council for Agricultural Research.

By order
u00a0

What the rule book says

The rules stipulate that the use of staff cars is not permissible for journeys to places of entertainment, public amusements, parties, pleasure trips etc. Journeys for purpose of shopping or taking children to schools would also fall in the prohibited category. The use of staff cars for such purpose, even on payment, is not envisaged. The rules contemplate certain situations in which staff cars may be used on non-duty purposes but on payment, provided official requirements are not interfered with in any way, for instance, occasional journeys performed by officers from their residence to offices and vice versa and urgent visits to hospitals.

The gag order from the DoPT had also asked ministries/departments to return any manpower or other facilities owned by the CPSEs "already being availed by the ministries concerned at the earliest and definitely before March 31, 2010."

"It was amazing how the minister (Thomas) had so many vehicles at his disposal. The infrastructure of the central public sector enterprises belongs to the public and no minister is allowed to use it for his/her personal usage," said RK Jain, the RTI applicant.

"It is ironic that the same government that runs austerity drives turns a blind eye to such misuse of public resources. I must say that we have nothing personal against Thomas, but all officials in the public domain should adopt exemplary practices," he added.