New Delhi: Parliament has started replacing petrol-run official vehicles of senior House officers with electric vehicles (EVs) as part of an initiative by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to conserve fuel amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.
At least 40 officers, from the rank of joint secretary and above, are expected to receive the EVs in the ongoing phase, the officials said.
“For the last two years, a joint secretary in Parliament used his Ciaz to commute to office. Last week, the Lok Sabha secretariat changed his car to a Mahindra XUV 400,” a senior official of the Lok Sabha, who did not wish to be named, said, adding that several senior officers have now been allotted EVs instead of petrol-run vehicles.
“All senior officials of Parliament who are entitled to cars are being given electric vehicles to cut fuel costs. The distribution process has already started,” the official added.
Two models — the Mahindra XUV 400 and Tata Nexon EV — are being distributed depending on rank and official requirements, people privy to the information said.
The move follows Modi’s appeal on May 10 urging people to adopt measures such as reducing fuel consumption, carpooling, using public transport and working from home in view of the ongoing West Asia crisis and rising fuel prices.
More than 80% of India’s fuel requirement is met through imports.
Officials said Parliament has already introduced several fuel-saving measures in recent years. Battery-operated golf carts are being used to ferry MPs and senior officials between Parliament House and the annexe building, where committee meetings are held.
Parliament also maintains carpools for MPs travelling between their residences and the House.
Birla himself reduced his convoy to two vehicles, following similar steps taken earlier by the PM and Union home minister Amit Shah.
The push for fuel conservation comes amid a rise in fuel and cooking gas prices. State-run oil marketing companies have increased petrol prices three times in the last eight days, while the price of commercial LPG cylinders has gone up by ₹500.
