Govt issues guidelines for prudent use of resources

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat govt on Friday announced a slew of prudency measures in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to save fuel in wake of the West Asia crisis.

The govt said that its ministers and officers and employees in the administration have been asked to avoid travelling on official assignments unless necessary and attend such events through virtual meetings. In addition, ministers and officers who have been allotted multiple official vehicles will be required to deposit all additional vehicles, except one in the govt vehicle pool.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, govt spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said that while working from home is a recommended option for both the govt and the private sector, no specific guidelines are being issued on the issue. “Work from home is a desirable option, but not compulsory. There are several jobs where physical presence is essential. But in cases where one can work from home, it is desirable,” the minister said.

Emphasis on avoiding physical travel, promoting video conferencing, and using EVs instead of those running on conventional fuels has been laid in the new govt guidelines issued on Friday. “Considering the current global situation, these decisions are aimed at significantly reducing the consumption of petrol, diesel, and foreign exchange, thereby committing to the protection of both the environment and the public treasury,” the minister said.

He added that within the next six months, all govt canteens will operate on PNG. To encourage people to adopt public transport, Vaghani said that the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro service will now operate till 11 pm.

The minister said that it was decided at the cabinet meeting that a strict monitoring mechanism will be put into place to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply in the state. The food and civil supplies department is keeping a close tab on supply of petrol and diesel at all outlets, he added. He added that after reviewing the available petrol and diesel stocks in the state, the CM has directed that the stocks be monitored daily by the control room, and the supply ensured so that citizens are not inconvenienced.