The Delhi government has taken a special step to reduce fuel consumption in the country and reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves. According to the government’s new guidelines, employees can now work from home two days a week. Apart from this, to prevent wastage of energy in the name of transport, 50 percent of meetings of government offices have been ordered to be held online. The schedule of government offices as well as Delhi Municipal Corporation offices will also be changed to reduce traffic congestion. The government is also planning to launch a special campaign to create awareness among people for proper use of energy.
Strict measures have also been taken to reduce fuel consumption of government vehicles. The amount of petrol reserved for government officials has been reduced to 20 percent, reducing the monthly maximum from 200 litres. The Delhi government has decided not to buy any new vehicles for the next six months. 58 special buses will be provided in 29 government residential areas to encourage government employees to use public transport. The government has urged the public to observe No Car Day once a week by avoiding private vehicles.
These measures are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to reduce energy consumption in the country. The Prime Minister himself decided to reduce the number of vehicles in his security forces and advised the countrymen to reduce consumption of edible oil and focus on local tourism. Along with the Delhi government’s move, many other BJP-ruled states have adopted similar policies. Under the new system, 50 per cent of Group C and Group D employees in government offices will be present in office every day and the remaining 50 per cent will work from home. Department heads have been instructed to prepare a weekly duty roster so that everyone gets a chance to work from office and home in turn.
