Patna: The Bihar government has imposed an immediate six-month ban on foreign travel by government officials at state expense, citing the need for resource conservation amid the ongoing global crisis linked to tensions between the United States and Iran.
The government has also directed that official meetings at both state and district levels be conducted primarily through video conferencing (VC), with physical meetings permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
The decision was taken by the government led by Samrat Chaudhary in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for prudent utilisation of resources and reduced fuel consumption.
Chief Secretary Issues Directives to Departments
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit issued a formal communication to:
- Additional Chief Secretaries
- Principal Secretaries
- Secretaries of departments
- Divisional Commissioners
- District Magistrates
directing strict implementation of the new measures.
Govt Pushes Energy Conservation and Financial Discipline
In his letter, the Chief Secretary instructed departments to prioritise:
- Energy conservation
- Financial discipline
- Efficient utilisation of government resources
Under the new guidelines:
- All state-level meetings are to be held via video conferencing
- District-level review and coordination meetings must also be conducted online
- Physical meetings are to be avoided unless unavoidable
Carpooling and Electric Vehicles Encouraged
The government has also directed officials and employees to adopt mandatory carpooling arrangements.
At the same time, Bihar plans to actively promote the use of electric vehicles within the government system.
Officials said a dedicated nodal officer would be appointed in every department to monitor energy consumption and prevent wastage of resources in government offices.
CM Had Earlier Reduced Official Convoy
The latest measures follow earlier decisions by Samrat Chaudhary to reduce the size of his official convoy and shift to using an electric vehicle himself.
Meanwhile, employees of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Secretariat in Patna have also been encouraged to use public transport.
To support this initiative, the government recently introduced:
- Electric buses
- CNG buses
- “Pink” buses
operating between different parts of Patna and the Secretariat.
Fuel Prices and Middle East Tensions Behind Decision
Officials said the move comes against the backdrop of continuing tensions in the Middle East following the US-Iran conflict.
The crisis has affected global fuel markets, with petrol and diesel prices reportedly increased four times in recent days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier appealed to citizens and public institutions to reduce fuel consumption and curb unnecessary expenditure.
Following the Prime Minister’s appeal, several ministers in the Bihar government were also seen adopting carpooling arrangements.
