Spending Over Rs 5,000? Uttarakhand Govt's Bizarre Order For Employees Sparks Outrage

Last Updated:July 19, 2025, 07:55 IST

The Uttarakhand government passed a bizarre order, saying that any spending by its employees beyond Rs 5,000 must require approval from a higher authority.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami (PTI Photo)

In a bizarre development, the Uttarakhand government passed an order stipulating that any spending by its employees that goes beyond Rs 5,000 must get a nod from a higher authority. This means for any purchase – including a phone or a saree – the employee must take clearance from their boss.

“Any government servant who enters into any dealing by way of sale or purchase or otherwise in respect of any movable property of the value exceeding his one month’s pay or Rs. 5,000, whichever is less, shall immediately report such dealing to the appropriate authority," NDTV quoted the government order on July 14.

The order said government employees must take permission from the head of their department or the “appropriate authority" for transactions involving immovable property, along with leasing and gifting of such properties.

Govt Order Sparks Outrage

Karam Ram, President of the Uttarakhand SC-ST Employees Federation, slammed the order as “ridiculous" and said it should be withdrawn. He also questioned whether normal purchases by family members will also need prior approval.

“In today’s era of inflation and with the 10 types of taxes that need to be paid, nearly everything you go to buy for your wife or children will cost over Rs 5,000," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

“If you want to buy a saree for your wife, do you have to take permission from the department head for that too? Do you have to take permission to buy clothes for the children?" he added.

Ram said the spending limit should be raised to Rs 1 lakh after consultations. Other employees also expressed shock over the Rs 5,000 limit, saying a permission should only be required for big ticket purchases like property and vehicles.

Additionally, the employees are required to declare all immovable property at the time of joining and every five years after that. This also needs to be done for their spouses or any member of the family living in the same house.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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