Govt issues decree for return of vehicles of completed dev projects

FE REPORT

The government has issued a directive for the immediate return of all vehicles used in the completed development projects to the central transport pool, aiming to ensure fiscal discipline and prevent unauthorised use of public assets, sources said.

The Ministry of Public Administration (MoPA) has mentioned that all vehicles purchased under the development projects must be surrendered to the Department of Government Transport (DGT) within 60 days of project completion.

To prevent unauthorised use, the MoPA has integrated vehicle tracking into the e-PMIS (Electronic Project Management Information System), according to a document.

This allows the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) to monitor the real-time location and status of these assets, effectively ending the practice of retaining project vehicles for departmental or personal use after projects end.

With these management shifts, the Finance Division has extended the ban on new vehicle purchase for the 2025-26 fiscal year as part of a broader austerity drive, officials said.

The acquisition of new cars, including those for the development projects, remains suspended, except for replacement of the vehicles older than 10 years, which requires high-level clearance.

To ensure compliance, project directors are now required to update all vehicle-related data, including registration and chassis numbers, into the e-PMIS portal. This digital oversight aims to end the practice of retaining project vehicles for unauthorised use as well as ensure efficiency and transparency.

These dual measures - digital monitoring and purchase freeze - will significantly reduce burden on the national exchequer.

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