State Government Approves Fleet of 24 New Hybrid Vehicles for Ministers and Chief Secretary

The State Government has ordered 24 new Toyota Innova Hycross ZX(O) Strong Hybrid cars for official use by Ministers and Chief Secretary Bishwananth Sinha. The procurement carries an estimated cost of ₹9.60 crore. Officials state the current fleet has worn out due to long use, needing frequent repairs that raise maintenance costs and lower reliability for official duties. Two of the new vehicles are set aside for State guests. The Tourism Department will handle the purchase under an order dated November 12. Protocol vehicles are also said to fall short for VIP and foreign visitor needs. ## Context This purchase comes amid past policy steps by leadership to cut down on extra spending during financial strain. Similar official vehicle choices by government members have drawn public attention in recent months.