LUCKNOW: In a slew of austerity measures implemented by the UP government, officials have been told to cut down on travel, especially by air, not publish diaries and calendars and not spend on unnecessary stationery or machines.The government has also put a curb on hiring of permanent staff, saying that where necessary, hiring should be outsourced.In an order he issued on Tuesday, chief secretary Anup Chandra Pandey has said that in order to use maximum funds for development, it is necessary to bring about austerity in government’s expenditure.In an 18-point notice, Pandey has said that there needs to be austerity in travel expenditure, including foreign travel, publicity, personal services , expenditure on office for stationery, furniture etc. “Official travel should be limited to only very necessary works. For any kind of official travel, other than what is very necessary travel, air travel should be done in economy class,” he said. Officials transferred to new posts will also not be allowed to redecorate their offices or purchase new furniture.Holding government functions, seminars, meetings etc in hotels has been prohibited, as have official lunches and dinners in five star hotels.The order says that with computerisation of office work in the past decade, work of several departments has eased and several posts have become redundant. “Unnecessary posts should be abolished and the affected staff should be redistributed among other departments,” Pandey said.The notice further says that other than in the health and police departments, no new posts are to be created. The ban on hiring of persons on fixed wages, daily wages or on contract, as against the service rules, will continue.No regular appointments are to be made for posts getting vacant in the fourth class category or technical posts like drivers, gardeners, electrician, plumbers, liftman etc. These should be filled through outsourcing. For temporary posts like advisors, directors, members, support staff should be appointed from within surplus staff or be outsourced.The necessary teacherstudent ratio is to be maintained in government schools and extra teachers should be adjusted within the system. State schemes will be reviewed at regular intervals and those schemes which are no longer necessary can be considered for closure.No new guest houses are to be opened and other than in newly created divisions and districts, no new official or residential buildings are to be constructed. No new vehicles are to be purchased, with the exception of security related purchases.Vehicles that have become old cannot be replaced and taxis can be hired for official purpose only after permission from the department.The government will also require departments to take emailing, video conferencing more seriously to avoid expenditure on travel and stationery.It has also forbidden officials to send congratulatory messages, or print calendars, diaries, or personal letters etc for occasions like New Years or festivals.

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