Lt Governor, DGP, top officers cut convoy size by 50 per cent after PM’s appeal

Srinagar, May 13: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has decided to cut the size of his official convoy by half following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to conserve fuel and promote efficient resource use, officials said on Wednesday.
Officials at Lok Bhavan said that the move comes in response to the PM’s call to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption and improve overall operational efficiency.
In line with this, officials said, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, IGP Kashmir V K Birdi and several top officers have also reduced the size of their convoys by 50 per cent.
Officials said the steps reflect broader push towards prudent and efficient utilisation of resources, rather than any policy of spending cuts.
The reduction in convoy sizes is expected to not only lower fuel usage but also streamline movement, particularly in sensitive regions where large convoys have traditionally been maintained for security reasons, they said.
Meanwhile, officials said the Prime Minister’s remarks were being misunderstood and incorrectly described in some quarters as “austerity measures”. There is no proposal to cut government spending, reduce welfare schemes or curb infrastructure investments, they said.
The government’s focus remains on maintaining economic growth while encouraging citizens and companies to use resources more carefully.
PM Modi had recently appealed to people to reduce avoidable fuel consumption, use public transport where possible, and adopt work from home or virtual meetings in situations where physical travel can be avoided.
Officials said the appeal should be seen as a call for prudent and responsible consumption during a period of global uncertainty, especially due to tensions in the Middle East and fluctuations in international crude oil markets.
They stressed that the word “austerity” creates a wrong impression because it generally refers to fiscal tightening measures such as cuts in public expenditure, subsidies and welfare spending. “No such measures are under consideration,” they added. (KNO)