Curbs on officials’ foreign tours, no nod for vehicle rallies: Maharashtra goes on austerity drive

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has issued austerity measures, including the cancellation of foreign tours by officials and promoting public transport and electric vehicles, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal amid the West Asia crisis.

The state has directed the police not to grant permissions for bike rallies, vehicle processions or large motorcades.

In a circular issued on May 13, Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar directed all departments, divisional commissioners, district collectors and municipal commissioners to implement the measures for reducing fuel consumption, conserving foreign exchange and cutting avoidable expenditure.

The circular said all approved foreign study and official tours of government officers should be cancelled, and no new overseas visits should be planned for the time being.

Officials have been asked to prefer electric vehicles hired through external agencies, minimise the number of vehicles used during field visits, adopt carpooling and use public transport for official travel.

Senior officers have been directed to travel by Metro, suburban trains or public buses at least once a week.

Government meetings, training programmes and seminars at the state, divisional and district levels should be conducted through video conferencing wherever possible, while universities and colleges have been asked to hold such activities online.

Government departments have been asked to limit advertisements and avoid "unnecessary" expenditure on decorative lighting, banners and flex boards. Offices have been directed to maximise the use of natural light, switch off electrical equipment after office hours and maintain air-conditioner temperatures between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius.

The circular called for accelerated approval of electric vehicle charging stations and piped natural gas (PNG) connections, and asked restaurants and hotels in Mumbai and other major cities to shift to PNG.

It stresses the need for expanding rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and removing duplicate and bogus beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The government has also directed canteens, schools, hostels, prisons, police messes and hospitals to revise menus to reduce edible oil consumption, and asked the Agriculture Department to promote natural and organic farming to cut dependence on chemical fertilisers.

All administrative departments have been told not to appoint consultants for the next six months, according to the circular.

Emphasising that the Centre is trying to shield people from the adverse impact of the West Asia conflict, Modi has called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, cutting down on edible oils and promoting natural farming to strengthen the economy.