Austerity Call: The Uttarakhand government has issued detailed guidelines on energy conservation, fuel savings and sustainable development after key decisions taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The directions have been sent to all departments, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and heads of departments, signalling a state-wide push for austerity and efficiency.
The state said the move has become especially important in view of the current global situation, including the economic aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and continuing tensions in West Asia.
Energy use in government offices
Under the new guidelines, the temperature of air conditioners in all government offices will be kept between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius. Departments have been told to strictly control unnecessary use of electricity, lighting and other energy-consuming equipment, while also ensuring regular monitoring and awareness campaigns on energy conservation. The government wants reduced consumption to go hand in hand with a broader public campaign for environmental protection and sustainable development.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi ने वैश्विक अनिश्चितता के दौर में देश को आर्थिक रूप से सशक्त बनाए रखने के लिए 7 विशेष अपीलें की हैं।
इन अपीलों को मिशन मोड में लेते हुए भाजपा शासित राज्यों के मुख्यमंत्री अब धरातल पर अहम कदम उठा रहे हैं।
ईंधन की बचत और संसाधनों के सही उपयोग के लिए… pic.twitter.com/pVnNg5F2ir
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 14, 2026
Fuel savings and mobility
To cut fuel use, government employees will be encouraged to use public transport, carpooling and shared mobility systems. The state is also pushing electric vehicles (EVs) and plans to expand EV charging infrastructure across Uttarakhand. Meetings are to shift more decisively to video conferencing, with departments instructed to minimise unnecessary physical meetings and conduct more administrative work on virtual platforms. The government will also encourage “Work From Home,” “No Vehicle Day,” employee bus services and bicycle-sharing systems, while private institutions are being asked to join the effort.
Tourism and local economy
The guidelines link sustainability with local economic growth through the “Visit My State / Holiday in India” campaign, which will promote religious, cultural, rural and eco-tourism within the state. The government also plans a single-window clearance system for destination weddings, saying that encouraging local tourism will reduce long-distance travel and fuel consumption while supporting the state economy. This approach is intended to make environmental responsibility part of the tourism model rather than a separate policy goal.
ALSO READPetrol, diesel prices hiked by Rs 3 per litre each amid austerity push; CNG price goes up by Rs 2
To support local industry, the state will launch the “Made in Uttarakhand” campaign and help MSMEs and self-help groups access markets through platforms such as ‘Amazon Karigar’ and ‘Flipkart Samarth’. The government is also promoting local handicrafts, traditional products and Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged goods to create more employment and self-employment opportunities. In agriculture, the emphasis will be on natural farming, organic farming and bio-input-based practices, with farmers to be trained in Natural Farming and Zero Budget Farming and Bio-input Resource Centres to be set up through FPOs and cooperative societies.
The state government has also directed departments to promote Piped Natural Gas (PNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and solar energy across Uttarakhand, including rooftop solar projects under the ‘ M Surya Ghar Yojana’. Urban local bodies and departments have been asked to speed up Compressed Bio Gas projects and explore production of CBG from solid waste. The government has additionally decided to strengthen the single-window clearance system for mining, solar energy and other major investment projects, so that empowered state-level committees can take faster decisions. Officials said all departments must ensure effective implementation of these measures while making public participation central to the state’s environmental goals.
</p> |
