Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 23 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday travelled to Shirdi aboard the Vande Bharat Express following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to reduce fuel consumption and adopt sustainable practices.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during an address in Secunderabad on May 10, had urged people to prioritise work from home wherever possible, cut fuel consumption, reduce foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, limit cooking oil usage, shift towards natural farming practices and curb non-essential gold purchases as part of broader efforts towards resource conservation.
CM Fadnavis undertook the train journey from Mumbai to Shirdi, where he is scheduled to attend the inauguration of the Nibe Defence Production Complex in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The Chief Minister’s travel by the Vande Bharat Express was seen in the context of the Prime Minister’s appeal, which emphasised responsible and efficient use of resources.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government has, for the first time, invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against offences related to cow smuggling, illegal cattle transportation and illegal slaughterhouses, asserting that the move would withstand legal scrutiny.
On weather preparedness and the impact of El Nino, Fadnavis said the state government had put in place a comprehensive plan to deal with possible extreme weather conditions, including heavy rainfall.
“We have prepared a comprehensive plan for El Nino. There may be heavy rainfall in some places. We have prepared a plan for the precautions that should be taken in that regard,” he said.
Fadnavis, earlier, said on Thursday that the possible impact of El Nino remains one of the biggest concerns for Maharashtra during the upcoming kharif season, with the state preparing measures to tackle lower rainfall.
The Chief Minister said rainfall this year is expected to remain below normal, and the government has accelerated water conservation-related works under the Jalyukt Shivar programme.
He added that district administrations across Maharashtra have been prepared to deal with the possible effects of El Nino and appealed for efficient water usage during the cropping season. (ANI)