In response to the fuel crisis stemming from the West Asia conflict, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of Odisha has issued eight directives aimed at significantly reducing the consumption of petrol and diesel in government offices. The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Anu Garg to implement measures to curtail the use of petrol and diesel in various government departments. Meetings, reviews, training programs, and workshops are to be conducted virtually unless physical presence is absolutely necessary, as per the directives.
From June 1, 2026, onwards, all newly acquired two-wheelers and four-wheelers for government use must be electric vehicles (EVs, as per the Chief Minister’s instructions. Special permission will be required for the purchase of petrol or diesel vehicles, and all rented four-wheelers for government use must also be EVs. Additionally, senior officers with government-allocated vehicles for personal use are mandated to adopt carpooling, with a corresponding 50% reduction in fuel allocation.
Furthermore, guidelines will be issued by the Finance Department within 15 days to determine which categories of senior officers are eligible for personal government vehicle use. Employees are encouraged to utilize buses or trains for official travel to distant locations. The Finance Department will establish guidelines for the utilization of personal electric vehicles by officers for official purposes. Electric bus or mini-bus services will be provided for government employees commuting from areas with a high staff concentration.
To ensure a minimum 10% reduction in monthly petrol and diesel consumption for government vehicle operations, all government offices are required to implement well-thought-out measures. The Chief Minister emphasized the strict enforcement of these directives at all government levels, including State Secretariat, sub-divisional offices, tahasil and block-level offices, government undertakings, institutions, universities, and committees across Odisha.
