Agartala: Tripura CM Manik Saha decided to cut the size of his convoy by half from Thursday, citing solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fuel conservation initiative.Senior cabinet members have also moved to reduce official travel arrangements. Ratan Lal Nath, minister for agriculture, power and parliamentary affairs, will not use an escort for local travel. Fisheries minister Sudhangsu Das said he will use only one vehicle within Agartala and will prefer train travel for visits to other districts.Saha has directed the DGP to implement the convoy reduction.A senior bureaucrat said the move could trigger wider changes in govt transport and administrative practices. “This thoughtful decision is seen as a potential catalyst for broader reforms in Tripura’s govt transport systems, with the general administration (administrative reforms) department issuing a new memorandum introducing austerity measures aimed at optimising costs and resource efficiency.”Under the memorandum, heads of departments have been asked to ensure only 50% of Group C and Group D employees are physically present in offices on any given day, with the rest working remotely on a rotation basis, the bureaucrat said.Employees living closer to offices will be prioritised in the initial phase. Remote staff will remain available during working hours via phone and digital platforms, with provisions to return to office in urgent situations, he added.
