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Chandigarh, May 13 (PTI): Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Wednesday said he has asked officials of the Union Territory to avoid coming by four-wheelers one day in a week.

The move comes following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for austerity and urging citizens to curb the use of fuel-driven vehicles.

Kataria said the UT officials have been asked not to come by four wheelers on every Wednesday. They can come either by bicycles, using public transport, on foot or they may be dropped off by a family member, he said here.

The Chandigarh administrator further said the administration is also considering that school students do not come by four-wheelers or scooters one day in a week. They may come by bicycles, buses or on foot, he further said.

Kataria also said he has written to his security officials to minimise his security convoy.

PM Modi has significantly reduced his convoy size, days after he appealed for cutting down fuel consumption and spending more wisely, prompting several BJP chief ministers and other leaders to adopt similar measures.

The prime minister's appeal is not about spending less but spending more wisely by reducing fuel consumption, avoidable dependence on imported goods and foreign-currency-intensive services, official sources said, stressing that the Modi government is not cutting capital expenditure, welfare spending or subsidies.

A downsizing in the prime minister's convoy was implemented in his recent domestic visits. The reduction was done while maintaining essential security components as per the SPG protocol, the sources said.

They emphasised that Modi's appeal to conserve fuel, adopt work-from-home where possible, and reduce avoidable foreign-exchange outflows were not "austerity measures", which have a negative economic connotation.

"Austerity" usually suggests budget cuts, reduced government spending, lower subsidies, and fiscal tightening, they noted.

But the prime minister's appeal is not about spending less, it is about spending more wisely by reducing fuel consumption, avoidable dependence on imported goods and foreign-currency-intensive services, the sources said. PTI CHS KVK KVK

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)