Chandigarh, April 24 -- In a bid to rein in its growing revenue deficit, the Punjab government has directed all departments to work for "revenue maximisation" while simultaneously tightening their belts by cutting wasteful spending and obtaining prior approval for expenses on foreign travel and the purchase of new vehicles.

All administrative departments have been instructed to set monthly and quarterly revenue targets, covering both tax and non-tax revenues. These targets must be monitored at every level - division, district, and sub-division - and reviewed monthly by administrative secretaries. The finance department will assess the performance of each department on a quarterly basis at the highest level.

According to guidelines issue...