Ban on foreign travel and study tours at ONGC
Whether anyone will take note is another matter, but India's Ministry of Finance has told ONGC to stop wasting money.
Finance director IN Chatterjee has taken the directive to heart, and dashed off a crisp-sounding "Inter Office Memorandum" to all ONGC regional and executive directors to treat the finance ministry directive seriously. "You are advised to give top most priority and comply strictly with the guidelines," writes Chatterjee in the memo dated 19th October this year, "You are also requested to send monthly compliance reports which should reach this office by 10th of the following month." In its directive, the finance ministry wants to see savings in the following seven areas: A mandatory 10% cut in non-plan and non-salary expenditure A 10% cut in the consumption and allocation of funds for expenditure on staff cars.
"Utmost economy must be exercised in the use of staff cars and official vehicles." A ban on foreign travel for study tours and seminars. "Foreign travel should be restricted to unavoidable official engagements.
A cut of 25% in the allowance for travel abroad, "for all categories of officials and non-officials." A ban on the creation of new posts for one year. A complete ban on the purchase of new vehicles for one year.
"..
.austerity in organising conferences, seminars and workshops." Unclear is if the directives apply to the chairman and directors at ONGC, as the note is circulated to their respective offices "for kind information" only.