Austerity drive: Bengal govt orders spending cuts

Kolkata: Bengal govt on Monday directed all departments and district administrations to adopt strict austerity measures to reduce expenditure and conserve resources across the state administration.In a directive to departmental heads and DMs, chief secretary Manoj Agarwal said CM Suvendu Adhikari had stressed the need for efficient resource utilisation, lower fuel consumption, wider use of public transport and digital platforms, and the promotion of domestically manufactured products.All departments, directorates, state PSUs, boards and govt-funded societies were asked to maximise video conferencing for official work and explore work-from-home arrangements wherever feasible. The order also called for a reduction in non-essential travel, encouraging carpooling and electric mobility. It also instructed departments to adopt energy conservation measures and promote paperless functioning.Additionally, state govt emphasised "Swadeshi" initiatives.