Bhubaneswar: Days after mandating a shift to electric vehicles (EVs) amid fuel supply concerns linked to the West Asia crisis, the Odisha govt has capped procurement costs for official vehicles. Top functionaries, including the governor, chief minister, ministers and high court judges, can procure EVs up to Rs 30 lakh, while collectors and SPs are allowed vehicles priced up to Rs 20 lakh.Senior bureaucrats such as the chief secretary, development commissioner, agriculture production commissioner, departmental secretaries and officers of equivalent rank can purchase EVs costing up to Rs 25 lakh. As per an office memorandum effective Monday, procurement of EVs will require prior concurrence of the finance department. New vehicles can be purchased only after completion of the prescribed lifespan and scrapping of the existing ones.The govt has specified EVs manufactured by Tata, Mahindra and Maruti. Officials must adhere to the ‘one officer, one vehicle’ principle. Procurement of petrol or diesel vehicles will be allowed only in exceptional circumstances, the order issued by finance secretary Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra stated.Govt-supported undertakings, institutions, universities and societies under the state govt have also been directed to follow the new guidelines. The govt move follows a directive issued by CM Mohan Charan Majhi on May 21 to shift to electric vehicles (EVs) for official use starting June 1, including all new purchases and hired vehicles.The govt has also issued separate guidelines for hiring vehicles and has increased hiring charges. Officers in the rank of additional secretary and above or equivalent, and heads of department, are entitled to an independent vehicle, while provision of “pool vehicle” shall be made for officers in the rank of undersecretary, deputy secretary, joint secretary or of equivalent rank working in the state govt. Maximum monthly hiring charges of vehicles have been revised for ministers and senior bureaucrats to Rs 50,400 from the current Rs 42,000. Secretaries can hire vehicles at Rs 36,000 per month up from Rs 30,000 earlier. The govt said the cost had to be revised as the last revision was done in 2019.