Thiruvananthapuram: Soon after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and four of his ministers returned from an official foreign tour, the Chief Secretary has ordered all government departments to strictly restrict expenses, including that under the foreign trip head.

The order was critical of many departments failing to follow the strict restrictions with regard to foreign tour, flight travel, vehicle purchase, and mobile phone use.

The failure to indulge in the shuffling of officials and follow work allotment criteria has severely affected the austerity drive. The government departments, local-self institutions, grant-aided organizations, universities, welfare boards, commissions, cooperative institutions, public sector enterprises, and schools should all strictly cut down expenses.

The order warned of initiating strict action against those failing to carry out the directions. The loss, along with interest, will be levied from the officials found responsible. Any concession will be allowed only in emergency situations, that too with the nod of the Finance Department and the approval of the Cabinet.