Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to save petrol and diesel is now visibly changing the working style of governments across India. From smaller political convoys to work-from-home policies and virtual meetings, at least 13 states have started taking steps to reduce fuel use and government spending.
The strongest visual came from Maharashtra, where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan on a motorcycle to attend the MLC oath-taking ceremony. In Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a series of major administrative changes aimed at reducing fuel consumption inside the government system.
Fuel-saving steps begin across states
Delhi has become one of the first states to formally change office functioning after the Prime Minister’s appeal. Government employees in the national capital will now work from home for two days every week. Around 50% of official meetings will be held online, while ministers have been asked to avoid foreign tours for the next one year.
Tripura has also introduced a major shift in government office attendance. Only 50% of Group C and D employees will attend offices daily, while the remaining staff will work from home through weekly duty rosters. Emergency and essential services have been kept outside the new rule.
Several Chief Ministers have started reducing the number of vehicles in their official convoys.
In Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was seen travelling with only four vehicles, including two police vehicles. Arunachal Pradesh has ordered a 50% reduction in convoy vehicles used by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and ministers.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has also:
- Banned foreign travel of ministers and officials for one year
- Introduced a “virtual-first” meeting policy
- Ordered early ticket bookings for official travel
- Asked departments to plan LTC journeys 45 days in advance
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has also reduced the number of vehicles in his convoy. He announced that he would spend one day every week without using any vehicle at all.
States push digital and virtual systems
Many state governments are now encouraging online governance to reduce unnecessary travel and fuel consumption.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has cut his convoy size by half during district tours. He has also appealed to ministers and VIPs to avoid unnecessary travel and use government vehicles only when required.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria announced that every Wednesday, officials at Raj Bhavan would avoid using four-wheelers completely. The decision came after internal discussions on reducing fuel use.
Security concerns remain key challenge
While governments are reducing convoy sizes, security arrangements continue to remain a major factor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself was recently seen travelling with only two vehicles in his convoy, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s convoy had four vehicles.
In Madhya Pradesh, ministers and VIPs have been asked to limit the number of vehicles during official visits. Political rallies during government tours will also be restricted.
Key changes announced in Madhya Pradesh include:
- Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s local convoy reduced from 13 vehicles to 8
- Restrictions on large VIP convoys
- Limits on rallies during official visits
- Focus on cutting fuel expenses during government movement
Bihar and Rajasthan adopt visible changes
In Bihar, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary reached the Secretariat for a Cabinet meeting in an electric vehicle. However, media reports claimed nearly 20 petrol and diesel vehicles were still part of the larger convoy behind him. Many ministers in the state have now started attending meetings with only one or two vehicles.
Rajasthan has also joined the fuel-saving drive. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma reduced his convoy from nearly 14-16 vehicles to just five during his Delhi visit.
The developments across states show how a national appeal on fuel conservation is slowly changing political messaging and administrative functioning. Whether these measures become long-term policy changes or remain symbolic exercises will become clearer in the coming months.
