Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday cycled from his official residence to Sukhna Lake and appealed to the public to use bikes and public transport to save fuel.
From reducing official convoy sizes and cycling to offices to directing departments to reduce use of government vehicles, Saini and his ministers are taking various measures in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to cut fuel consumption and spend resources wisely.
According to an official statement, on his arrival at Sukhna Lake in the morning, the Prime Minister went for a morning walk, interacted with the public and delivered the message ‘Healthy India, Healthy Haryana’.
In Haryana, standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been issued for fuel saving, which have been specially designed as per the requirements of the department, Saini said.
His security personnel also accompanied him on bicycles from the official headquarters, which is about 3 kilometers from Sukhna Lake.
Saini has also decided to avoid using a government vehicle one day every week.
Other ministers followed suit, with some significantly reducing the size of their official fleet while others directed their departments to hold virtual meetings where possible, and limited use of government vehicles.
Earlier on Monday, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the state cabinet meeting, the chief minister urged citizens to maximize the use of bicycles and public transport like buses and trains, and use private vehicles only when necessary.
Referring to the situation arising due to tensions in West Asia, he said that the issue is not a problem of one country or India alone, but a global issue, and there is a need for everyone’s cooperation.
The Haryana government has also directed government offices to hold as many meetings virtually as possible and adopt work-from-home practices wherever possible, the Prime Minister said.
He said people in Haryana, along with the rest of the country, responded positively to the Prime Minister’s appeal.
Prime Minister Modi recently reduced the size of his official motorcade after calling for fuel conservation, prompting several chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and other senior leaders to adopt similar measures.
