Bhubaneswar, May 14 -- Following Prime MinisterNarendra Modi's call for austerity and fuel conservation amid the ongoing fuel crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and several state ministers on Thursday significantly reduced the size of their official convoys.

The move came shortly after the Prime Minister reportedly decided to cut more than 50 percent of the vehicles attached to his official motorcade as part of fuel-saving measures. Responding to the appeal, senior members of the Odisha government were seen adopting similar steps while arriving at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar for official work.

Sources said Chief Minister Mohan Majhi arrived with a convoy nearly half its usual size, while s...