MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced a series of austerity measures, including halving the number of vehicles in the convoys of his Cabinet colleagues, and cancelling foreign tours of Ministers and officials. The BJP-led Government’s move came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supplies. India relies heavily on West Asia for crude oil and gas imports. The decisions were taken at two high-level meetings chaired by Fadnavis and attended by the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officials. According to an official statement, the number of vehicles in the convoys of the CM and all other Ministers will be reduced by half with immediate effect. During outstation visits, the number of vehicles in ministerial convoys should not exceed the prescribed limit, and the police commissioner or superintendent of police concerned will be responsible for ensuring compliance, it said. The Government will conduct a strict review of all vehicles allotted to different departments. The State Government has also cancelled all upcoming foreign tours of Ministers and officials. Ministers have been directed to avoid using government aircraft and helicopters unless absolutely necessary and to prefer scheduled commercial flights, according to the statement.

 

Fadnavis asked Ministers and officials to increase the use of public transport, including the Mumbai Metro, and to use such services for at least one day in the initial phase. Most official meetings should be held through video conferencing to reduce travel by bureaucrats, the statement said. As part of energy conservation efforts, the State Government will intensify action against unnecessary hoardings and flex boards and ensure that decorative lighting is not used on them, it added. PM Modi has significantly reduced his convoy size, days after he made an appeal for austerity and urged citizens to curb the use of fuel-driven vehicles and instead opt for EVs and public transport modes. The Opposition Congress said merely reducing the number of vehicles in Ministers’ convoys was not enough. State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant suggested that Ministers and bureaucrats should carpool and regularly use public transport to curb government expenditure. In a statement, Sawant said the Prime Minister’s call for carpooling should be implemented in practice. Of the Ministers residing in Malabar Hill, four to five of them should share a single vehicle while travelling to their offices in Mantralaya (State Secretariat). He noted that Ministers whose official bungalows are located close to Mantralaya can just walk to the State Secretariat whenever feasible. Sawant insisted the use of public transport should not be restricted to symbolic observance for a single day and should instead become a regular practice.

 

Referring to the Prime Minister’s suggestion to use the Mumbai Metro, he said Ministers should commute by the rapid transit system or suburban trains. For official tours within the State, Ministers could travel by train and then opt for autorickshaws at Railway stations for onward travel, Sawant maintained. Earlier in the day, Fadnavis said PM Modi’s call for austerity should be seen in a positive light and asserted his Government has started implementing his suggestions, especially with regard to saving forex. He advised the Opposition to desist from making fun of austerity measures suggested by the PM in view of the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The CM was speaking after unveiling the logo of the 2026-28 Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela and holding discussions with representatives of 13 major akharas (Hindu monastic orders) here. “We are seeing that the situation in several countries is very bad. In some countries, there is a lockdown, petrol prices have gone up to Rs 450-500 per litre and fuel is not available on certain days,” he said. “If the Opposition does not want to implement these measures, then at least they should not make fun of them,” the BJP leader insisted. Fadnavis said the Maharashtra Government has already begun taking steps to reduce expenditure involving foreign exchange. He said even minor lifestyle changes by citizens for six months, as suggested by the Prime Minister, could help the country face the global economic uncertainty and come out of it.