Several Union ministers travelled to a Cabinet meeting in a car-sharing arrangement, avoiding separate vehicles, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged steps to conserve fuel.
The move comes amid global concerns over shortages of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, linked to tensions in West Asia. The situation has pushed up fuel prices in many countries.
In response, the Prime Minister appealed to citizens to reduce private vehicle use and rely more on public transport, while also asking organisations that can enable work-from-home to implement it. He also reduced the number of vehicles in his own convoy to set an example.
Following the appeal, some leaders and officials have adopted fuel-saving measures, including using two-wheelers, switching to electric vehicles and taking the Delhi Metro. At the latest Cabinet meeting at the PMO complex area known as “Seva Teerth”, ministers also avoided individual car travel.
Ministers including Nitin Gadkari, J.P. Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Manohar Lal Khattar, Prahlad Joshi, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, C.R. Patil and Kishan Reddy were among those who arrived in groups. The step followed Modi’s earlier question to ministers on how many were sharing a car when travelling to the same destination.
