MUMBAI, May 14 -- After two high-level meetings conducted by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday to implement the austerity measures suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a circular was released by the state chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal later in the day underlining norms to be followed by government departments. Officials have been asked to use electric vehicles (EVs) for daily and official use, keeping their numbers to a minimum. Aggrawal has urged them to use car pools and public transport, with seniors showing the way by using public transport once a week. He has also urged officials to cut down on tours, and asked the government to organise meetings, training sessions, seminars etc at Mantralaya/ divisional/ district offices using video conferencing. He added, universities and colleges must also abide by this rule. The home department has been asked not to grant permission for bike rallies, vehicle processions, convoys, etc. for any purpose. Natural lighting should be used for office work, and unnecessary use of electric lights should be avoided. After office hours, lights, fans, computers, air-conditioning systems, elevators, etc. should be switched off. The temperature of air-conditioners should be maintained at 24-26 degrees, the state chief secretary advised, suggesting greater emphasis be placed on installing solar energy systems on maximum households under the Prime Minister Surya Ghar scheme. To reduce the use of edible oil, canteens, mid-day meal schemes, anganwadis, hostels, prisons, police messes, and hospitals have been asked to modify their menus. Mustard oil and groundnut oil should be promoted instead of palm/soybean/sunflower oil, he has said. He urged the government that in order to encourage large-scale use of piped natural gas, pending and newly received proposals for PNG connections should be approved immediately. Restaurants and hotels in Mumbai and other major cities should be encouraged to mandatorily use PNG. He also asked the agriculture department to conduct campaigns to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, promote natural, organic, and sustainable farming. Moreover, all government departments have been asked to desist from appointing consultants to develop policies and chart out processes, which has been an established norm for many years....