Govt puts cap on vehicle price, no high-end cars for university bigwigs

Govt puts cap on vehicle price, no high-end cars for university bigwigs

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:17.09.2021

The state government has capped the price for purchasing automobiles for university authorities. A government resolution to that effect has been passed and the upper limit for a vehicle for a vicechancellor (VC) has been set at Rs 12 lakh, which includes the cost of installing additional accessories and services. Similarly, the expenditure limit for a pro vice-chancellor’s car is Rs 10 lakh.

The GR caused ripples in the academic circles with heads of universities making frantic calls to Mantralaya to find out whether the rules would be applicable retrospectively too. “We have issued a resolution to ensure that university heads do not splurge on cars. After all, this money is collected from students’ fees,” minister for higher and technical education Uday Samant told TOI. “VCs are on a par with state secretaries and after due diligence, my team has issued the expenditure limit that all university authorities need to adhere to.”

VCs who have been enquiring regarding the application of rules on purchases already made, may have to wait for clarity. “The matter on whether university heads should personally pay the difference between the cost incurred and what is permitted for a car is pending before the higher education secretary,” said Samant.

Interestingly, the minister who toured several state universities noticed that most VCs had purchased very high-end vehicles “Our cabinet ministers travel in a car costing Rs 12 lakh. Our state’s chief secretary has a car costing Rs 15 lakh. But our VCs are traveling in cars ranging from Rs 45 lakh to Rs 60 lakh. We were worried that if a GR is not put in place, we will find VCs travelling in vehicles that will cost a crore,” said a source from the ministry.