Haryana Austerity Drive Quietly Puts the Squeeze on Media — and Much Else Besides

Haryana Austerity Drive: A sweeping Haryana government austerity circular caps all government newspaper ads at quarter-page, bans non-EV vehicle purchases and freezes foreign travel till September 2026. North Desk breaks down what it means across sectors—from officers to NRIs to common resident

North Desk Correspondent

Chandigarh, June 11

Buried in a sweeping 25-point government circular issued from Chandigarh on Tuesday is a directive that will make every newspaper publisher in Haryana wince: no government advertisement larger than one-fourth of a page shall be published. Not half-page. Not full-page. Quarter-page, maximum.

For a state where government advertising is the financial backbone of dozens of Hindi, Punjabi and English publications, that single line carries more consequence than all the fuel-saving targets combined.

What the Circular Says About Media

The Haryana Austerity Drive directive comes from the Chief Secretary’s office, and is addressed to every Administrative Secretary, Head of Department, Managing Director and Deputy Commissioner in Haryana.

It instructs DIPR and all government agencies and public-funded organisations to minimise expenditure on banners, posters and flex-boards as well.

That covers the three pillars of government media spend in one stroke: display advertising in newspapers, outdoor hoardings, and flex-based publicity — the bread and butter of regional media across the state.

The circular invokes the “Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdan” campaign as the public-facing frame, asking DIPR to run social media awareness campaigns instead. Digital is cheap. Print is now capped.

The Wider Austerity Package

Haryana Austerity Drive: The advertising restrictions are part of a far broader set of measures the Haryana government has rolled out with immediate effect, citing the compounding economic fallout of the Covid pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the ongoing West Asian crisis.

The measures touch government employees, private citizens, industry, the diaspora — and notably, even the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to which a copy of the circular has been separately forwarded for compliance.

Here is what changes across the board:

Travel and movement

Haryana Austerity Drive says: No foreign travel — official or personal — will be approved for any government servant, board or corporation employee until September 2026. Medical treatment abroad is the only exception.

At least half of all government meetings at every level will shift to video conferencing. Physical movement of employees is to be minimised.

Vehicles and fuel

There is a complete ban on purchasing non-electric vehicles across all government departments, boards, corporations and commissions till September 2026.

VVIP convoys cut by 50%, subject to security considerations.

The Finance Department will slash the POL — petrol, oil and lubricants — budget of every department by 20% till September 2026. A monitoring portal will track savings, and every Head of Department must upload a monthly certificate confirming at least 10% reduction in vehicle use within their department.

Public gatherings

District Administration and Police have been told not to grant permission for any gathering, rally, vehicle procession or road show for any purpose till September 2026.

Energy and offices

Air-conditioners in government buildings are to be set between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius. Unnecessary and decorative lighting is to be switched off. Office timings may be shifted by one hour to maximise use of daylight.

The same AC temperature norm is advised for private buildings — malls, restaurants, hotels and religious places.

Gold

In line with a national-level advisory, citizens are asked to avoid or defer gold purchases for one year. Jewellers are encouraged to promote redesigned jewellery and the reuse of old ornaments.

Food and cooking

Hotels, dhabas and street-food vendors are encouraged to adopt low-oil menu practices. Oil consumption in schools, hospitals and government canteens is to be reviewed and reduced.

Diaspora

The Foreign Cooperation Department will formally request Indian Diaspora Associations to encourage members to holiday in India — part of a domestic tourism push that also asks citizens to prefer local destinations for weddings.

Industry

The Industries Department has been asked to work with NASSCOM, CII and FICCI to encourage work-from-home where feasible, with staggered office timings to reduce congestion. Bulk transport of cement, foodgrains and fertilisers by rail freight is to be explored.

The High Court Dimension

Haryana Austerity Drive: Unusually, the circular has been separately forwarded to the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and to the Secretary of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha — with a request to issue these guidelines within their respective establishments.

It raises a question whether that brings the judiciary and legislature formally within the ambit of a Chief Secretary-level austerity directive, an uncommon step that signals the government is not treating this as routine paperwork.

The instructions, the circular states, shall come into effect with immediate effect and are to be followed in letter and spirit.

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