Puts spending on tight leash
- No new posts
- No private hotel meetings
- No new vehicle purchases
- No international travel
- No official dinners, receptions
- No seminars outside J&K
- Economy class travel only
- Virtual meetings encouraged
- 20% fleet reduction on replacement
- Fuel, AC, generator restrictions
Ovaise Gul
J&K Government Imposes Austerity Measures for 2026-27: Ban on New Posts, Vehicle Purchases Discouraged, No Meetings in Private Hotels
Srinagar, May 23: The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a series of austerity and expenditure rationalisation measures for the financial year 2026-27, imposing restrictions on official spending, purchase of vehicles, travel, conferences, and hospitality functions. It has directed that no new posts shall be created.
According to an order issued by Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department, Shailendra Kumar, “utmost economy shall be observed” in organising conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programmes. Such activities should be undertaken only where “absolutely necessary”, and after exploring virtual alternatives, it added.
The government has strongly discouraged holding exhibitions, fairs, seminars, and conferences outside Jammu and Kashmir, and imposed a “complete ban” on holding meetings and conferences in private hotels and commercial venues, directing departments to utilise government buildings and conference halls instead.
Expenditure on ceremonial events, souvenir printing, promotional material, and non-essential publicity activities shall be minimised, and departments should prioritise digital dissemination over printed publicity material.
Purchase of new vehicles has been “strictly discouraged”. Exceptional cases involving critical operational requirements would require concurrence of the Finance Department and replacement against condemned vehicles with a 20 percent reduction in fleet strength. Departments have also been directed to auction condemned vehicles and deposit the proceeds as miscellaneous revenue before seeking replacement proposals.
On official travel, the government said international travel shall not be permitted without specific approval from the Finance Department. Officers have been directed to travel only by economy class within the country irrespective of entitlement, and the use of video conferencing and virtual platforms has been encouraged to reduce travel expenditure.
The order also called for strict fuel and energy conservation measures, including avoiding unnecessary use of official vehicles, generators, air-conditioning systems, and lighting equipment.
The government further banned official dinners, lunches, receptions, and similar hospitality functions except those hosted by the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister.
The Finance Department said no new posts shall be created, and engagement of consultants, outsourcing agencies, and contractual support services would be allowed only after careful assessment of functional necessity. No fresh financial commitments shall be made on schemes or proposals not provided for in the approved Budget Estimates for FY 2026-27.
The order said Administrative Secretaries shall be personally responsible for ensuring strict compliance with the austerity measures, while Director(s) Finance and Financial Advisors shall submit periodic compliance reports to the Finance Department. The measures have been implemented with immediate effect across all departments and government institutions in the Union Territory.