Odisha Government Introduces Fuel-Saving Measures for Official Vehicle Use

Reacting to the energy crunch brought on by the recent crisis in West Asia, the Odisha government’s rolling out some tough rules on official vehicle use. On Thursday, the state’s finance department put out a memo making it clear that these new restrictions aim to tackle rising “fuel and energy challenges.” Now, if you’re an officer in Odisha, things are changing. Only senior bureaucrats—special secretaries or higher—automatically get a dedicated vehicle for official work. Everyone else, from under secretaries up to joint secretaries and their equivalents leading departments, must switch to using pool vehicles. The government has made it mandatory for two or three officers to share one car. For officers who get promoted to additional secretary after June 1, the rule is strict: you use pool vehicles until you’ve logged at least three years in that position. However, the government clarified that this three-year restriction will not apply to additional secretaries who were already allotted an independent vehicle on or before May 31, even if they have not yet met the three-year tenure milestone. And to keep tabs on the funds, the finance department announced a flat ₹1,680 monthly deduction for anyone using a pool car. Doesn’t matter what rank you are—everyone pays the same. The government’s also telling officers to cut back on long drives in state cars. For far-off official visits, they expect people to take the train, hop on a bus—just avoid using government cars whenever possible. This isn’t just for secretariat officials, either. The finance department made it clear that these rules now apply everywhere—across all state government bodies, autonomous agencies, public universities, and societies funded by the state. If you’re using a government vehicle in Odisha, get ready to make some changes.