Bhubaneswar: In a major fuel conservation initiative amid the prevailing situation in West Asia, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday issued an eight-point directive aimed at reducing the consumption of petrol and diesel across all government departments and institutions in the state.
The move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appealed to citizens to reduce fuel consumption. Following the appeal, Majhi had already reduced the number of vehicles in his own motorcade by half and urged people to minimise the use of petrol and diesel.
According to a press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to take immediate steps to implement fuel-saving measures across government establishments from the Secretariat level to sub-divisional, tahasil and block offices, including government undertakings, universities, institutions and committees.
As part of the new measures, official meetings, review sessions, training programmes and workshops will primarily be conducted in virtual mode unless physical presence is absolutely necessary. In cases where in-person attendance is required, only essential officers and employees will attend physically while others will participate virtually.
The government has also decided that from June 1, 2026, all new two-wheelers and four-wheelers purchased for government offices must compulsorily be electric vehicles (EVs). Purchase of petrol or diesel vehicles will be allowed only under special circumstances. Similarly, all four-wheelers hired on rent for government offices from June 1 onwards must also be electric vehicles.
In another significant step, senior officers using government vehicles for personal commuting have been asked to adopt carpooling practices. The allocation of funds for use of government vehicles will also be reduced by half accordingly.
The Finance Department has been directed to issue guidelines within 15 days specifying the categories of senior officers eligible to use government vehicles for personal purposes.
To reduce fuel expenditure during official travel, officers and employees have been instructed to use buses or trains for tours and inspections to distant places.
The Finance Department has also been asked to prepare guidelines to facilitate the use of personal electric vehicles owned by officers and employees for official government work.
Further, the government plans to introduce electric bus or mini-bus services for employees in areas with a high concentration of government staff to support daily commuting.
The Chief Minister has additionally instructed all offices to ensure that monthly petrol and diesel consumption by government vehicles is reduced by at least 10 per cent.
Majhi directed all departments and government institutions across the state to strictly implement the instructions with immediate effect.
