Overview
- At a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Narendra Modi told ministers to cut fuel costs, shrink convoys and curb foreign trips, framing the push as spending more wisely.
- Modi has already reduced his convoy by about half, kept Special Protection Group security intact and directed the inclusion of electric vehicles without new purchases during visits to Gujarat and Assam.
- Uttar Pradesh ordered a 50% cut in official fleets, urged work-from-home and set quotas for virtual meetings to trim petrol and diesel use.
- Maharashtra moved to halve ministerial convoys, cancel most foreign tours and restrict government aircraft and helicopter use to essential cases, while urging more public transport.
- Leaders in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat cut vehicle use or rode Metro and EVs, with some political pushback on depth of implementation as West Asia supply risks sharpen focus on public transport and online government work.