Fadnavis Orders Austerity Drive, Halves Ministerial Convoys

Mumbai: Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to save fuel and foreign exchange, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced a series of austerity measures aimed at reducing government expenditure and energy consumption. The decisions were taken at two high-level meetings chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Secretary General, the Chief of Police and senior state officials.

According to the new directives, the number of vehicles in the convoys of the Prime Minister and all ministers will be halved with immediate effect. Police commissioners and police chiefs in the relevant districts and provinces will be responsible for ensuring that convoy sizes do not exceed the determined limits during official trips.

Officials said that the Prime Minister has instructed all ministers and bureaucrats to avoid foreign visits until further notice. Ministers were also advised to avoid using government planes and helicopters except in emergencies and opt instead for regular commercial flights.

“Ministers and senior officials were advised to use public transport such as metro services. They were also asked to use public transport for at least one day within the scope of the initiative,” officials said.

The Chief Minister also instructed all departments to hold meetings through video conferencing instead of physically calling officials. A review of vehicles allocated by the government will also be carried out to ensure strict compliance.

Apart from this, the state government will intensify measures against unnecessary stacking and flexible boards to save energy. Officials said, “We will also ensure that decorative lighting is not used in such places.”

Foreign tours of senior officials, including chief secretaries, additional chief secretaries and secretaries, have been stopped from May 14, a senior state government source said. “All government-financed overseas tours, as well as tours sponsored by foreign countries, have been stopped by the Prime Minister,” the source said.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Fadnavis said that the Prime Minister’s call to save fuel and foreign exchange during global crises should be considered in a positive spirit.

“We are witnessing difficult conditions in many countries of the world. Some countries have imposed lockdown. In some countries, oil prices have reached 400 to 500 Rupees per litre, while in some there is no fuel available. Despite the global crisis, India’s economy is on track and the country will not face any problems. In light of this, the Prime Minister has suggested some measures,” Fadnavis said.

“If opposition parties do not want to take or implement these measures, they should at least not make fun of them. It is the responsibility of every citizen to implement these measures,” he added.

Mr. Fadnavis said the state government had taken various steps to preserve foreign exchange, including reducing the number of vehicles in official convoys and cutting avoidable expenses.