Following up on his appeal to countrymen to cut down on the consumption of fuel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reduced the size of his convoy by nearly 80 per cent. On Wednesday, only two vehicles were seen in the PM’s convoy in Delhi.
Earlier, the PM’s convoy used to comprise 12 to 15 vehicles, including a decoy vehicle, an armoured SUV, an electronic countermeasures vehicle equipped with jammers to prevent triggering of explosives, a security vehicle, an advance security liaison vehicle and an ambulance.
Home Minister Amit Shah has asked his security agencies to reduce the number of vehicles in his convoy to the maximum possible extent. Shah’s convoy will now comprise only four to five vehicles, while earlier, his Z+ security cover used to have more than 10 vehicles in the convoy.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other central ministers have also reduced the size of their convoys.
Taking a cue, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have also reduced the strength of their convoys.
By cutting down the size of his convoy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a good message to the people. His ministers and state chief ministers have also reduced the strength of their convoys.
When such cuts take place from the topmost level, people get inspiration, and they also try to put in their contribution for conserving fuel.
In a huge country like India, if people make up their mind to reduce consumption of petrol, diesel and natural gas, India can save several billion dollars in foreign exchange.
On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved a coal gasification scheme.
Coal gasification is a thermochemical process that converts coal or lignite into synthesis gas (syngas). It is a mixture primarily consisting of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
By heating coal with limited oxygen and steam at high temperatures and pressures, this feedstock is used for producing electricity, methanol, ammonia, urea, and synthetic natural gas. Syngas can be used to run turbines and produce electricity. Fertilisers and several other petroleum products can also be produced.
Under the coal gasification scheme, a target of gasification of 10 crore tonnes of coal has been set by the year 2030.
India presently imports more than 50 pc of its LNG needs, nearly 20 pc of its urea requirements and 80-90 pc of its methanol needs and almost 100 pc of its ammonia requirements.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says India has enough coal reserves to last for the next 200 years. If we utilise these resources, we can fulfil our own energy requirements for more than a hundred years.
The Centre will be spending Rs 37,500 crore on the coal gasification project. It is aimed at conserving several lakh crores of rupees worth of foreign exchange.
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