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32 cars less in fleet as Akhilesh goes on austerity drive
Friday March 30, 2012 03:11:30 PM,
Mohit Dubey,
IANS
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Lucknow: Surprising
even his officials, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
has issued orders to cut down the cars in his fleet from 40 to
just eight and also ordered the specialised hospital operating in
his official residence to shut down.
Thirty-two cars have been ordered to be taken away from the chief
minister's fleet and repatriated to the Rajya Sampatti Vibhag
(state property wing), a senior official with the chief minister's
security said.
"The only cars that would now be accompanying the motorcade of the
chief minister would be a a fleet of ambassadors and an SUV fitted
with jammers," the official told IANS.
The chief minister has also ordered the highly specialised
hospital within his official residence to be shut down immediately
and said that doctors on duty be sent to hospitals where they are
needed more, officials said.
This hospital was formed in 2008 on orders of Mayawati and cost
the state exchequer Rs.75 lakh per annum had a medical
superintendent, 22 pharmacists, a dozen nurses, four hi-tech
ambulances and specialist doctors on 24x7 duty.
The latest move of the 38-year-old chief minister, who has also
opened the doors of sprawling official residence for common
people, is in stark departure from his predecessor Mayawati who
moved around the city in hooter fitted cars and a fleet of 40-plus
cars. These included three jammer fitted cars, an ambulance and a
fleet of cars of city police and traffic cops.
Akhilesh Yadav has also done away with other security regulations
such as stopping of traffic when the chief minister's convoy
passes and the use of hooters whenever he moves.
"This is the real face of Samajwad (socialism) where every one,
even the chief minister is treated alike," said Rajendra Chowdhary,
spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party and a close aide of the chief
minister.
Also, in a state where government officials and employees are used
to a five-day week, Akhilesh Yadav threw in a surprise when he
turned up at his annexe office on a Saturday, quietly and
unnoticed without the usual horn honking and siren blaring
entourage following him. The SUVs specially imported for
Mayawati's fleet have also been grounded, a source said.
(Mohit Dubey
can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
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