New Delhi, May 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday instructed his cabinet colleagues to implement significant cost-cutting measures, focusing specifically on reducing petrol consumption and unnecessary expenditures. During a Union Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister stated that the ongoing crisis in West Asia necessitates a more conscious approach to resource management and a reduction in the national import bill.
Official sources affirmed that the Prime Minister has already led by example, significantly downsizing his own security convoy during recent domestic visits to Gujarat and Assam. He declared that while essential security protocols remain in place, the reduction in vehicles serves as a direct effort to lower fuel usage. Furthermore, the Prime Minister maintained that electric vehicles should be integrated into official convoys wherever feasible, provided no new purchases are required.
“The appeal is not about spending less but spending more wisely by reducing fuel consumption,” an official source stated. The government maintained that these are not “austerity measures,” which often imply economic contraction, but are instead strategic efforts to conserve foreign exchange. Officials asserted that the administration remains committed to its current levels of capital expenditure, welfare subsidies, and public spending.
The Prime Minister also urged ministers to limit the size of their travel entourages and reconsider non-essential foreign visits. Several cabinet members and BJP chief ministers have already announced plans to adopt these measures in their respective jurisdictions. Modi asserted that adopting flexible work-from-home options and reducing dependence on imported goods would further strengthen the nation’s economic resilience during the current global volatility.
