Panaji, Jan 5 (IANS): Goa's babus ( bureaucrats) will have to think twice before using their government vehicles for their early morning ritualistic visit to the local fish market.

According to a circular issued by the state government's general administration department Friday, Rs.500 would be deducted from the salary of a bureaucrat for using the allotted government vehicle for private purpose.

"The secretaries, heads of departments and other officers authorized under Rule43 are permitted to use the vehicle for private purposes also, if they so desire, subject to the condition that an amount of Rs.500 per month is compulsorily deducted from their salary and fuel should not exceed quota allotted/sanctioned," said an order issued by under secretary Ajit Pawaskar.

The social media network in the recent past was alive with several photographs of government vehicles being either used for private and recreational purposes like shopping, dropping children to school, visiting cinema halls, casinos among others.