Chief Minister Fadnavis didn’t just talk about the need to save fuel, he did something about it, riding his Bullet to Vidhan Bhavan and quickly putting fuel saving plans into action after Prime Minister Modi had asked for conservation with the energy market being so uncertain. This shows the government will immediately use less fuel, as the world isn’t getting enough of it.
Fadnavis rode from his home, ‘Varsha’, to the government buildings in South Mumbai with minister Ashish Shelar. A video of them arriving quickly became popular online, but the important thing is what the government will now do. Fadnavis was at the ceremony where new members of the Legislative Council took their oaths on May 14th, and used the chance to say the government should spend less.
Why this matters now
The fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted how oil and gas are sent around the world, causing shortages and prices to go up in many places. India gets its oil and gas from the Middle East, and so is likely to be affected by these issues.
Because of this uncertainty, the Prime Minister requested that people use less fuel and not put as much strain on the country’s money held in foreign banks, saying being careful with what we use is “modern patriotism”. Maharashtra has turned this request into actual steps.
Maharashtra’s immediate steps
Fadnavis has said that all ministers, including himself, must immediately have 50% fewer vehicles in their groups. He has also told the Chief Secretary to come up with a full plan to save fuel to show to the state cabinet on May 14th.
Government departments are being told to use electric vehicles, have more meetings online to reduce travelling, and think again about trips abroad, with the aim of cancelling or putting off anything that isn’t completely necessary. High-ranking officials should use buses and trains.
Key directives for quick savings include:
– Halve ministerial convoy sizes immediately
– Expand use of electric vehicles in departments
– Move more meetings online to cut travel
– Cancel or defer non-essential foreign trips
– Use public transport for official movement
Enforcement and oversight
The government will carefully look at which vehicles are given to different departments. When going to places outside the city, the number of cars in a minister’s group must be at the correct number; the police commissioner or head of the police in that area will make sure of this.
The Maharashtra government has also said that ministers and officials can’t go on trips abroad, and ministers will need the Chief Minister’s permission to use a government plane.
Signals beyond Mumbai
This idea of being careful is spreading. Acharya Devvrat, the Governor of Gujarat, said he will travel around Gujarat by train and public transport instead of by helicopter. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, said he has halved how much he uses his vehicles and will only use them for work when he really has to.
Nitesh Rane, a minister in Maharashtra, walked to Mantralaya for a cabinet meeting. Several states led by the BJP, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, have said they will do things like have fewer official cars, encourage public transport, share cars, work from home, and have a ‘No Vehicle Day’.
What comes next for citizens
The message is simple: use fuel for only what’s really needed, save valuable money that is held in foreign accounts, and keep the economy strong while the market is unsteady. If government departments regularly use electric vehicles, public transport and online meetings, people will see fewer lines of government cars, less travelling by officials and leaders showing an example.
The cabinet will look at the plans on May 14th and this will show how much and how quickly the government will introduce more restrictions. Because prices are unstable and it’s not certain how much fuel will be available, it is urgent to act. Although the ride on the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 only took a few minutes, the changes in policy it started could last a very long time.
