MP Finance Department Puts New Vehicles for Deputy CMs on Hold Over Funds Shortage

The purchase of new official vehicles for Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla has been put on hold after the Finance Department cited a shortage of funds. Both leaders are currently using Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles that have crossed the prescribed mileage limit for replacement.

The proposal was for buying new Innova Crysta hybrid vehicles for the two Deputy Chief Ministers. However, the Finance Department returned the proposal, saying that the state was not in a position to purchase new vehicles at present because of budget constraints.

For now, instructions have been issued to continue using the existing vehicles after carrying out the necessary repairs. This means that the official travel of both Deputy Chief Ministers will continue in their old vehicles, even though the vehicles have already crossed the mileage limit set under government provisions.

Under the government’s rules, an official vehicle is supposed to be replaced after it has travelled 1 lakh 10 thousand kilometres. The rule has been made from a security perspective. Despite this provision, the vehicles being used by Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla have travelled significantly beyond the prescribed limit.

Jagdish Devda’s 2024-model Innova Crysta has travelled more than 1 lakh 29 thousand kilometres. Rajendra Shukla’s Innova Crysta of the same model has covered more than 1 lakh 32 thousand kilometres. The two vehicles have therefore crossed the 1.10 lakh KM replacement limit.

After the vehicles crossed the prescribed limit, a request was made to purchase new hybrid vehicles for both Deputy Chief Ministers. The request was sent through the State Garage of the Home Department. The Home Department subsequently forwarded the budget proposal related to the purchase to the Finance Department.

The proposal, however, did not receive the Finance Department’s approval. The department cited the shortage of funds and returned the proposal. It made clear that the government was not currently in a position to buy new vehicles. The department instead directed that the existing vehicles should be repaired and used.

As a result, the matter of replacing the vehicles used by the two Deputy Chief Ministers has been stalled for the time being. The vehicles have crossed the mileage limit set under the rules, but the proposal to replace them remains pending because of the lack of budget approval.

The decision has come at a time when the Madhya Pradesh government is facing pressure over rising debt and the management of its financial resources. According to the available information, the debt burden on the state government has crossed 5.65 lakh crore rupees.

Against this financial backdrop, the Finance Department has instructed various departments to avoid sending proposals that could place an unnecessary additional burden on the state’s financial resources. The restriction on the purchase of government vehicles is being viewed in the context of this financial pressure.

The return of the proposal for the two Deputy Chief Ministers’ vehicles also shows that budget availability has become decisive, even when there is a demand to replace vehicles that have crossed the prescribed mileage. The government’s financial situation has taken priority over the immediate purchase proposal.

The vehicles proposed for purchase were also a part of the discussion. Vehicles bought for ministers and officials can include base variants. In this case, however, the demand made for both Deputy Chief Ministers was for Innova Crysta hybrid vehicles. The cost of the proposed vehicles and the availability of funds have therefore become important aspects of the matter.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla distanced himself from the information that a proposal had been sent to purchase a new vehicle. He placed the responsibility for sending the proposal on his staff. His statement has added another point of discussion around the vehicle purchase proposal.

The situation has brought the government’s vehicle replacement rules and its financial constraints into direct focus. On one side, the rules provide for replacing an official vehicle after it has travelled 1.10 lakh KM. On the other, the Finance Department has not approved the purchase of new vehicles because of the budget situation.

For the time being, both Deputy Chief Ministers will continue their official travel in the old Innova Crysta vehicles, with repairs being used as the immediate solution. The issue of how the government will balance the prescribed vehicle replacement and security provisions with its financial resources remains unresolved.