As the festive season approaches, the Indian government has issued a significant directive, instructing all its Ministries, Departments, and associated bodies to refrain from spending public funds on gifts for Deepavali and other upcoming festivals. This move aims to enhance fiscal discipline and ensure the prudent use of public resources.
The Ministry of Finance’s Department of Expenditure released an official memorandum on September 19, addressing all Secretaries within the Government of India. The memorandum highlights that the Ministry has consistently issued instructions to promote fiscal discipline and curb non-essential expenditure over time. In line with these ongoing efforts and the principle of judiciously utilizing public funds, it has been decided that no expenses will be incurred on gifts and related items for Deepavali and other festivals by any governmental entity.
This isn’t the first instance of such measures. The government had previously issued similar instructions in September 2020. At that time, in an effort to reduce government expenditure during the COVID-19 pandemic, all government departments and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) were directed to halt the printing and distribution of calendars, diaries, festive greeting cards, and coffee table books. While some of these restrictions were later eased in December 2022 to permit the re-printing of calendars, the current order reiterates a firm stance on controlling non-essential festive spending.