Haryana CM rides bicycle, announces SOP for fuel conservation

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini rode a bicycle to Sukhna Lake for his morning walk, backing PM Modi's fuel conservation appeal. He announced a state-wide SOP to curb fuel use across the administration, promoting EVs and virtual meetings.

Leading by example, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationwide appeal for fuel conservation, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday rode a bicycle to reach the city's landmark Sukhna Lake for his morning walk, while announcing a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the state to curb fuel consumption across the administration.

During his visit to the lake, the Chief Minister interacted with residents and morning walkers, delivering a core message of "Healthy India, Healthy Haryana" to emphasise the dual benefits of physical fitness and environmental sustainability.

Haryana Announces SOP for Fuel Conservation

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationwide appeal for fuel conservation amidst global supply uncertainties, Saini announced that the state government has formulated a comprehensive SOP to systematically reduce fuel consumption across all government departments. "PM Modi highlighted the situation that emerged globally during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising the need for us to remain vigilant in advance. We should utilise trains and buses; furthermore, we should prioritise the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) while minimising the use of private cars, thereby conserving petrol and diesel. In Haryana, we have also formulated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)," Chief Minister Saini told ANI.

Strategy to Include Virtual Meetings, EVs

Highlighting the strategy, the Chief Minister stated that the state administration is prioritising virtual meetings to curtail official travel, rationalising the use of government vehicles, and shifting focus toward Electric Vehicles (EVs) and public transit options like trains and buses. "Within this framework, which includes measures such as conducting meetings virtually, we have taken various decisions designed to accelerate this campaign," he added.

CM Confident in Public Cooperation

Drawing a parallel to the pandemic, Saini expressed confidence in public cooperation, asserting that the collective discipline of citizens would help navigate current economic challenges. "Whenever the Prime Minister issues an appeal to the nation, it becomes the duty and obligation of every citizen to heed that appeal and move forward accordingly. Just as during the COVID-19 era--when neither vaccines nor specific medicines were available--the nation heeded the Prime Minister's appeal, enabling us to overcome that grave crisis and endure those hardships, we shall undoubtedly overcome this challenge as well," Saini added.

Initiative Amidst Global Energy Crisis

The announcement comes on the heels of major austerity moves across the country, with several ministers trimming their own security convoys by half and some even deciding to work without an official vehicle one day every week. It comes in the wake of a rising global energy crisis, when Prime Minister Modi, addressing a gathering in Secunderabad earlier last week, had urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by increasingly using public transport, car-pooling and electric vehicles, saying responsible living was also a form of patriotism. (ANI)

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