Dehradun: Several important decisions regarding energy and fuel conservation were taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Pushkar Singh Dhami. Considering growing global fuel challenges and the need for energy conservation, the state government has decided to implement both short-term and long-term reforms.
Under the cabinet decisions, one day every week will now be observed as a “No Vehicle Day.” The number of vehicles in the Chief Minister’s and ministers’ fleets will be reduced by half. Officers handling more than one department will be allowed to use only one vehicle per day.
Government departments will be encouraged to conduct meetings through video conferencing, while private institutions will be motivated to adopt the work-from-home model. The state government has also directed officials to encourage government employees to use public transport. The Transport Department has been instructed to increase the number and capacity of bus services.
The state government has announced that a new EV policy will be introduced to promote electric vehicles. Fifty percent of all newly purchased government vehicles will be electric vehicles. Expansion of the EV charging station network across the state will also be prioritized.
To promote tourism, a “Visit My State” campaign will be launched. Under this campaign, religious, rural, wellness, and eco-tourism circuits will be widely promoted. A single-window clearance system will also be implemented to encourage destination weddings in the state.
The government has decided to launch a “Made in State” campaign to promote local products. People will also be encouraged to limit gold purchases for one year and to use domestic products.
The government has also introduced new initiatives related to health and food habits. The use of cooking oil in schools, hospitals, and government canteens will be reviewed. Hotels, dhabas, and street food vendors will be encouraged to adopt low-oil menus.
In the agriculture sector, natural farming, zero-budget farming, and bio-input-based farming will be promoted. Farmers will receive special training for this. Instructions have also been issued to implement PNG connection expansion, rooftop solar projects, and gobar gas schemes in mission mode.
Chief Minister Dhami said that global circumstances have increased pressure on fuel and food supplies. In such times, small practical behavioral changes, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal, can play an important role in national interest.
