Following the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the Uttarakhand Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday (May 13) under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, many important and far-reaching decisions were taken regarding energy and fuel savings in the state. In view of the global circumstances, the State Government has decided to take corrective steps both at short-term and long-term levels, which will be implemented with immediate effect.

‘Economy could not recover after Covid-19’

In the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the global economy has not fully recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with this, the Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing crisis in West Asia have put serious pressure on the international supply chain. In particular, the supply of fuel, food and fertilizers has been affected, causing countries like India to face rising costs, import dependence and economic pressure.

The Chief Minister also mentioned the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he has urged the citizens to contribute at the national level through small behavioral changes. In this direction, the Uttarakhand government has prepared a comprehensive strategy for energy saving and better utilization of resources in the state.

Dehradun: Cabinet meeting of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, brainstorming on many proposals including health, tourism

Promotion of work from home and public transport

Video conferencing based meetings will be given priority in government departments, so that unnecessary travel and fuel consumption can be reduced. The private sector will also be encouraged to adopt work from home. Also, common people will be motivated to use public transport more and more.

The state government has decided to celebrate ‘No Vehicle Day’ once a week. On this day, government officials and common citizens will minimize the use of private vehicles. It has also been decided to halve the number of vehicles in the vehicle fleet of the Chief Minister and Ministers. Apart from this, officers who have more than one department have been instructed to use a maximum of one vehicle in a day. Emphasis will also be laid on limited use of air conditioners in government and private buildings.

Cut down on foreign trips and promote tourism

An effective EV policy will soon be implemented in the state. Under this, 50 percent electric vehicles (EV) will be made mandatory in newly purchased government vehicles. Also, priority will be given to expansion of charging stations and networks, so that the use of electric vehicles can be promoted.

It has been decided to limit government foreign trips. Along with this, domestic tourism will be promoted under the ‘Visit My State’ campaign. Heritage, religious, wellness, rural and eco-tourism circuits will be widely promoted in the state. The system of encouraging destination weddings and single window clearance will be strengthened. NRIs will also be attracted to spend holidays in Uttarakhand.

Campaigns like ‘My India, My Contribution’ will be run

Public awareness campaigns like ‘Mera Bharat, Mera Contribution’ will be run in the state. Under ‘Made in State’, local products will be promoted and strict adherence to ‘Make in India’ rules will be ensured in government procurement. Citizens will also be made aware to limit the purchase of gold for one year.

The government will make the common people aware about the benefits of less oil food. The use of oil in schools, hospitals and government canteens will be reviewed and efforts will be made to reduce it. Hotels, dhabas and street food vendors will be motivated to adopt ‘low-oil menu’.

Promote natural farming and clean energy

Farmers will be given training in natural farming, zero budget farming and bio-inputs. Awareness regarding balanced use of fertilizers and soil health will be increased. In the area of ​​clean energy, PNG (Piped Natural Gas) connections will be increased in mission mode. Preference will be given to the use of PNG in hotels, restaurants and government residences. Rooftop solar will be promoted under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana, while instructions have been given to the Panchayat and Rural Development Department for the expansion of cow dung gas plants.

Apart from this, to speed up the approval process of mining, solar and power projects, a high level committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary will approve the proposals within 60 days. Through all these decisions, the Uttarakhand government has clearly indicated that it is serious about energy conservation, economic balance and environmental protection, and these initiatives can have a wide impact in the times to come.

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