PUDUCHERRY: In view of a severe financial crunch in the Puducherry administration, Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Kiran Bedi has banned business class air travel by all whose travel expenses are met by the Finance Department. She has issued an order with immediate effect as part of several austerity measures. It will be applicable to all from the L-G to the Chief Minister, ministers, secretaries, heads of departments and other officials.
As Puducherry is a Union Territory operating under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the CM, ministers and officials have to visit Delhi by air over administrative and financial matters.
In fact, the ban order has come at a time when CM V Narayanasamy, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao and Welfare Minister M Kandasamy are in New Delhi right now. All the three have called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, according to official communication from the Department of Information and Publicity.
With Rahul Gandhi to take charge as AICC president on Saturday, the CM and colleagues are expected to participate in the event. While returning to Puducherry, they will travel in executive class.
Hard times
Kiran Bedi said the decision to ban business class air travel by all was taken at a meeting with chief secretary Ashwani Kumar. All government-funded societies must adhere to principles of financial prudence, failing which the HoDs will be held accountable