VIJAYAWADA: The government has decided to implement a series of austerity measures in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for fuel conservation and responsible spending amid global uncertainty.
The State Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat on Thursday, and discussed the austerity measures to be taken in the wake of West Asia conflict.
Naidu directed officials to study the feasibility of implementing work-from-home (WFH) in select sectors and prepare a detailed action plan.
The government is examining the feasibility of implementing work-from-home arrangement for two days a week in suitable government departments to reduce operational costs and energy consumption. As part of the initiative, it will launch a public awareness campaign titled ‘My Nation - My Responsibility’ to promote fuel conservation and efficient use of resources.
Naidu said austerity measures should extend beyond reducing convoys of ministers and VIPs. He called for broader efforts to cut unnecessary expenditure across government departments. He advised ministers and officials to minimise spending during district tours and reduce foreign visits wherever possible. He laid emphasis on virtual meetings and digital communication to lower administrative costs.
Naidu directed all government departments to actively focus on energy conservation and expenditure control, besides switching to electric vehicles.
He instructed officials to maintain ACs in government offices between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius as part of power-saving measures. He suggested accelerating the use of solar power on a large scale. Stating that the nation has contributed immensely to the welfare of its citizens, Naidu said this was the right time for people to give back through responsible and disciplined spending.
Govt proposes ‘No Vehicle Day’ twice a week in educational institutions
He also appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary expenditure, including excessive gold purchases, and support the country’s economic stability through prudent financial practices.
Responding positively to the suggestion made by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan that it would be better to implement the austerity measures after preparing the public, Naidu said every announcement in this regard will be made only after sensitising the people.
Speaking to mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Information and Public Relations Kolusu Parthasarathy said the government will come up with a series of measures aimed at promoting fuel conservation, environmental sustainability, and responsible energy usage across the State.
It will launch an extensive public awareness campaign to encourage environmental friendly practices and reduce fuel consumption.
The government will prioritise the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) for all future official vehicle procurements, he said.
Public representatives and government officials were advised to cover short distances on foot during official tours.
He further suggested that the ministers and senior officials use bicycles once a week to come to the State Secretariat to inspire similar behavioural change among the general public.
The government has proposed observing ‘No Vehicle Day’ twice a week in educational institutions across the State.
Incentives will be provided to organisations establishing EV charging stations to strengthen electric vehicle infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, the I&PR Minister said.
Police officials were directed to ensure smooth traffic management so that vehicles do not remain idle in traffic jams for extended periods, thereby reducing unnecessary fuel consumption.
The government will also review the cost-saving and fuel conservation measures taken by the APSRTC, he said.
Kolusu said the State will coordinate with the Centre to get electric buses allocated to Andhra Pradesh under Central schemes at the earliest.
The Cabinet gave nod to provide 0.5% weightage marks to the contract faculty working in State Public Universities in the written test for the direct recruitment of assistant professor posts.
The weightage marks of 0.5% per one year of service will be given for a maximum of 10 years and it will be applied only for a single time.
However, the contract faculty will get weightage marks only after qualifying in the written test to be conducted by the APPSC. The government will recruit a total of 1,523 teacher posts including 1,244 regular and 279 backlog through direct recruitment, he explained.
The cabinet cleared proposal to allocate 854.97 acres of land to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for the establishment of AI Data Centre (AIDC) in Visakhapatnam district.
