Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a major reduction in the size of his official convoy while also pushing for greater use of electric vehicles as part of a broader austerity and fuel-saving initiative, PTI reported. The Prime Minister’s convoy strength was reduced by nearly 50 per cent during his recent visits to Gujarat and Assam, shortly after his address in Hyderabad where he urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption.Sources said the downsizing was carried out without compromising essential security arrangements mandated under SPG protocol. The Prime Minister has also reportedly asked officials to include electric vehicles in the convoy wherever possible, although no fresh vehicle purchases are expected to be made for the move.
During his recent speech at a rally organised by the Telangana BJP in Hyderabad, PM Modi stressed the need for austerity measures amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. He appealed to citizens to reduce petrol and diesel usage, use metro services more frequently, adopt carpooling, increase the use of electric vehicles and rely more on railways for parcel transportation. He also encouraged work-from-home practices wherever feasible to help conserve foreign exchange.Electric vehicles are increasingly being seen as an important step towards reducing fuel dependency and lowering running costs. EVs also produce zero tailpipe emissions, helping reduce air pollution in urban areas. In addition, lower operating and maintenance costs make them more efficient for daily use compared to conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.Several Union ministers are also understood to be adopting similar measures. Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders have also reportedly started increasing the use of electric vehicles in official movements.