Chandigarh, May 19
The Haryana government has directed deputy commissioners and all state departments to adopt fuel-saving measures in routine official functioning, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce fuel consumption and conserve resources.
The initiative has been launched as part of a wider campaign to promote energy conservation and environmental protection across the state. Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management Departments, Sumita Misra, issued detailed instructions to officials, stating that energy conservation should be treated as a collective national responsibility.
Officials and employees have been asked to take practical steps to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions in day-to-day operations. The advisory encourages using public transport, including metro services, buses, and trains, instead of individual vehicles for routine commuting.
Departments have also been advised to promote carpooling and ride-sharing among employees and nearby residents to help reduce fuel consumption and traffic congestion. Digital coordination through platforms such as WhatsApp groups has been recommended to facilitate shared travel arrangements.
The communication further encourages walking and cycling for short-distance travel wherever feasible. Departments have also been directed to minimize unnecessary official tours, air travel, and foreign visits. Officials have been encouraged to combine multiple official tasks into a single visit to improve fuel efficiency.
The state government has also recommended giving preference to electric vehicles and fuel-efficient vehicles in future government purchases. Employees residing on government campuses have been encouraged to shift to Piped Natural Gas for domestic use.
As part of the initiative, departments have been instructed to prioritize video conferencing over physical meetings to reduce travel and fuel consumption. Misra said small individual efforts, when collectively adopted across departments and districts, could contribute significantly towards energy security, environmental sustainability, and pollution reduction.
The move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently reduced the size of his official convoy as part of his appeal to conserve fuel. Several BJP-ruled states and senior leaders have also initiated similar measures in recent weeks.
