Amaravati, May 14 (IANS) Responding to the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has reduced the size of his official convoy by more than 50 per cent.

The number of vehicles in his convoy has come down to just four from 12 vehicles earlier.

The Chief Minister had on Wednesday directed officials to cut down convoy vehicles by 50 per cent as part of efforts to reduce fuel consumption.

However, on Thursday, when his convoy travelled from his official residence in Undavalli to the Secretariat for the Cabinet meeting, only four vehicles were seen.

According to an official release, the Chief Minister has decided to continue travelling with this four-vehicle convoy henceforth.

The Chief Minister also urged ministers and other public representatives to follow suit by reducing their own convoys to conserve fuel. In compliance with this directive, the ministers have also reduced the number of vehicles in their respective convoys.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has also reduced the size of his convoy.

A statement was issued from the Deputy Chief Minister’s office on Thursday. It noted that in the backdrop of tensions prevailing in West Asia and the global shortage of petroleum products, and in response to the call given by the Prime Minister to reduce the usage of petrol and diesel to prevent such situations from arising in India, the number of convoy vehicles has been reduced by 50 per cent.

The office of the Deputy Chief Minister posted videos of the reduced size of his convoy as he reached the Secretariat to attend the Cabinet meeting.

Both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister suggested that all the people of the state should also cooperate to reduce the usage of petrol and diesel in line with the guidance of Prime Minister Modi.

State IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and other ministers also decided to reduce the size of their convoys in response to the appeal by Prime Minister Modi for austerity in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Lokesh, who is the son of Chief Minister Naidu, directed his security staff on Thursday to reduce the number of vehicles in his convoy by 50 per cent.

The decision will mean that his convoy will have only two vehicles.

At a public meeting on Wednesday, CM Naidu called for curbing wasteful expenditure. He remarked that travelling in large convoys of vehicles has become a major trend for everyone.

He said public representatives should set an example by reducing the size of their convoys. Security details should also be scaled down, he said, adding that security arrangements should be sensible and purposeful.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s appeal, several state ministers have also reduced the number of vehicles in their convoys.

–IANS

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