Maha ministers rein it in after PM’s austerity appeal

Opposition leaders criticized lavish ministerial security and official convoys, with Jayant Patil urging the chief minister to prune his convoy and those of all ministers to align with the Nation First austerity ethos.

State chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal said Maharashtra is awaiting directives from the Centre on austerity measures, as no formal statewide policy has yet been rolled out and decisions remain ad hoc.

Tourism minister Shambhuraj Desai, a Shiv Sena leader, canceled a family trip to Europe planned for late May to cities such as London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Led by Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, 22 MLAs were set to visit six Japanese cities from May 23 to June 2, meeting lawmakers and officials, and visiting the National Diet Building and other sites; the trip is being cancelled with a decision to be taken by a special board.

Ashish Shelar will not travel to Cannes for the Film Festival; he will participate virtually while the delegation's coordination and support for Marathi films remains on site, with the festival scheduled May 12–18.

Fisheries and port development minister Nitesh Rane switched to virtual meetings and asked offices to switch to electric vehicles, following the PM's austerity appeal.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said he has started holding official meetings online without summoning district collectors and officials to Mumbai, and travels by flight only for very urgent tours, four or five times a year.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed ministers not to use government aircraft, except for urgent business, with requests needing his personal sign-off. This marks a broad start to austerity measures in Maharashtra following the prime minister’s appeal to curb travel and save fuel.