Bhubaneswar: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the citizens of India, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Wednesday a significant decision to reduce the number of vehicles in his personal security convoy by half. This move is part of the broader measures in response to the situation arising from the conflict in West Asia.
In light of the global fuel crisis caused by this conflict, the Prime Minister recently called on the public to implement various measures, particularly focusing on reducing petrol and fuel consumption. An official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) indicated that Majhi also encouraged citizens to limit the use of private vehicles and opt for public transport as part of the fuel conservation initiative.
“Emphasizing the importance of the Prime Minister’s call, the Chief Minister urged the people of the State to minimize their use of personal vehicles and to make greater use of public transport. He advised citizens to use vehicles only when necessary and to avoid unnecessary travel,” the CMO stated.
Additionally, the Odisha Chief Minister requested the public to refrain from purchasing gold and to avoid non-essential foreign trips. Notably, following Modi’s directive to reduce convoy sizes, several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, and Maharashtra, have already announced similar reductions.
During a public meeting organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad on May 10, Modi urged citizens to collectively safeguard the Indian economy from the ripple effects of the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He highlighted the challenges posed by various factors, including global supply chain disruptions, rising fuel prices, and increasing economic uncertainty due to international tensions. In this context, Modi appealed to the public to conserve fuel, utilize Metro rail and public transport whenever possible, adopt car-pooling, and increase the use of electric vehicles. He also encouraged industries and offices to reinstate work-from-home arrangements, online meetings, and virtual conferences—measures that had proven effective during the Covid-19 pandemic in reducing fuel consumption and enhancing efficiency.
Significantly, the Prime Minister also urged citizens to avoid non-essential purchases of imported goods and unnecessary overseas vacations to conserve foreign exchange reserves.
