The white Ambassador cars for officials may be on their way out with, the government deciding to provide new brands to its senior bureaucrats and ministers.
Home Minister P Chidambaram got a new Ford Fiesta car yesterday to replace the Maruti Esteem used by him during the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
According to sources, an order for nearly 15 vehicles has been placed by the government, out of which 12 cars, including Chidambaram's Fiesta, have been delivered.
Of the 14 Ford Ikons ordered for revenue department officials under the finance ministry, 11 have been delivered, the sources said.
The Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals — a central purchase organisation of the Union government under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries — recently approved Ford Fiesta and Ford Ikons and placed the order, they said.
Other cars would be delivered by this month's end or early next month, they said. According to a company official, a Ford Fiesta car cost Rs 6.29 lakh for the government. The market price for the vehicle is Rs 6.92 lakh.
“We have received the orders and are delivering them,” said Vinay Malhotra, sales manager of NCR Ford — a Delhi-based dealer for Ford vehicles. According to him, the officials concerned recently had test drives of the cars and approved procurement.
