Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a series of austerity and fuel-saving measures following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce unnecessary consumption amid global uncertainty and rising economic concerns.
Chairing a high-level meeting with senior officials, the Chief Minister directed that the number of vehicles in ministers’ and government convoys be reduced by 50 per cent with immediate effect. He also instructed departments to remove unnecessary vehicles from official fleets and encourage greater use of public transport.
Yogi Adityanath emphasised adopting work-from-home culture wherever possible and advised departments to conduct more meetings, seminars and workshops virtually. He suggested that ministers, MPs, MLAs and public representatives should use public transport at least once a week and proposed observing a weekly “No Vehicle Day” across the state.
The Chief Minister also pushed for increased use of metro services, electric vehicles, carpooling, cycling and Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses to reduce fuel consumption during peak hours. Offices may also adopt staggered working hours to minimise traffic congestion and fuel usage.
Apart from transport-related reforms, Yogi appealed to citizens to save electricity, avoid unnecessary gold purchases and promote locally made products. He encouraged destination weddings and tourism within India, especially in Uttar Pradesh’s heritage and eco-tourism locations.
The Chief Minister further urged people to reduce edible oil consumption for health and economic reasons and asked departments to promote rooftop solar systems, PNG connections and natural farming initiatives across the state.