Jaipur, May 14 -- Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma has slashed his official convoy from 14-16 vehicles to five, heeding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to conserve petrol and diesel amid global economic pressures. The chief minister's convoy, which usually includes 14 to 16 vehicles along with an ambulance and fire brigade, was visibly smaller on Wednesday morning when Sharma left Jaipur International Airport for New Delhi. Addressing the media in New Delhi on Wednesday, Sharma said the PM's appeals on issues of national interest were receiving a positive response across the country. He said the Rajasthan government has now issued guidelines encouraging fuel conservation and reduction in petrol and diesel consumption. "I have personally decided to reduce the number of vehicles in my convoy. All government officials and public representatives in the state should also exercise restraint in vehicle usage and avoid unnecessary deployment of vehicles," CM said. The chief minister further stressed that the number of official programmes should also be rationalised in order to save fuel. The Rajasthan government has issued directives promoting fuel conservation and austerity across the state administration. These limit the chief minister's convoy to the minimum, instruct officials and public representatives to avoid unnecessary vehicle use, and urge departments to prioritise fuel-saving measures and financial prudence....