Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta banned foreign trips for ministers and government officers for one year to conserve fuel [1].
The measures come in response to a fuel crisis and a direct appeal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement fuel-saving strategies [1, 3].
As part of the new policy, government employees must now observe two days of mandatory work-from-home per week [2]. This shift aims to reduce the number of daily commuters on the road, thereby lowering the overall fuel consumption of the city's administrative workforce [2].
Ministers face stricter requirements to lead by example. The Chief Minister mandated that ministers use the Metro on Mondays to discourage the use of private vehicles [2]. Additionally, the government has launched a voluntary no-vehicle day each week for all staff to further mitigate the impact of the energy shortage [2].
Financial adjustments have also been implemented to curb fuel usage. The administration reduced petrol allowances for officials by 20% [3]. These combined restrictions on travel and fuel consumption represent a significant shift in the operational norms of the Delhi government.
Gupta said these steps are necessary to align the city's resource management with national priorities during the current crisis [1, 3].
“Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta banned foreign trips for ministers and government officers for one year”
These austerity measures signal a high level of urgency regarding India's fuel security. By targeting the administrative class through travel bans and allowance cuts, the Delhi government is attempting to lower demand and create a public precedent for conservation that may eventually be extended to the general population.
