The Gujarat government on Friday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for austerity by issuing guidelines for prudent use of resources that
included emphasis on video conferencing, curtailing use of government vehicles, and cutting down on unnecessary travel. Addressing the media after the state cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar, Minister Jitu Vaghani appealed to the citizens to provide support for PM Modi's austerity call. Vaghani also urged citizens to not panic and to not resort to hoarding resources unnecessarily. He also said piped natural gas (PNG) connectivity will be made mandatory in all government canteens in the next six months, and public awareness campaigns will be conducted to stop unnecessary hoarding and panic buying. "As per the guidelines, travel for government work should be planned only as per need. Officials should make maximum use of modern means like video conferencing, telephone and e-mails as far as possible, and avoid travels abroad for participation in trainings, seminars and conferences," he said. Travels outside the district for government work should be restricted as far as possible, while government vehicles should be reviewed and additional vehicles should be put out of use, Vaghani added. "If an officer is handling more than one charge, he should deposit additional vehicles except one main vehicle, and those having electric vehicles (EV) as an alternative to government vehicles should use them. Officers and employees are encouraged to use public transport services like metro, state transport buses and railways instead of private vehicles," he said. It has been decided to extend the metro rail timings till 11 pm for public convenience, the minister informed. Vaghani said the procurement policy will be strengthened to give priority to indigenous goods, local products and MSMEs in all government institutions. Instructions have also been given to organise government programmes in a simple manner, with virtual inaugurations, he added. "Through these decisions, taken keeping in mind the current global situation, the state government is committed to protecting both the environment and the government treasury by drastically reducing the consumption of petrol, diesel and foreign exchange," Vaghani asserted.
