Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, May 13: In a major cost-cutting initiative, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the immediate suspension of all previously approved foreign trips undertaken by ministers and senior government officials.

The decision, aimed at promoting administrative austerity and reducing public expenditure, comes amid growing calls for financial prudence and fuel conservation. Government sources said all upcoming overseas visits related to official meetings, administrative work and study tours have been put on hold until further notice.

According to officials, the state administration has been directed to shift international engagements, discussions and collaborations to virtual platforms such as video conferencing. The move is expected to significantly reduce expenses related to air travel, accommodation and other logistical costs borne by the government.

The Maharashtra government said the decision reflects a broader commitment to fiscal responsibility and is intended to send a strong message of austerity at a time of global economic uncertainty.

Responding to the initiative, State Minister Shambhuraj Desai — who holds the Tourism, Mining, and Women & Child Development portfolios — voluntarily cancelled his planned visit to London and Paris. Though the trip was reportedly a personal family vacation arranged months earlier, Desai chose to withdraw from the travel plans in support of the nationwide campaign for fuel conservation and reduced foreign exchange spending.

The state legislature has also aligned itself with the austerity drive. Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar confirmed that a proposed study tour to Japan involving MLAs has been cancelled.

Officials added that the government will increasingly rely on digital communication for international interactions and policy discussions, replacing expensive overseas study tours with virtual exchanges wherever possible.

The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal urging public representatives and officials to avoid unnecessary foreign travel and curb avoidable expenditure in light of volatile global conditions, including the ongoing West Asia crisis and rising fuel prices.