No Approval, No Take-Off: Maharashtra’s New Aircraft Rule For Ministers After PM Modi’s Call

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 19:27 IST

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Chief Minister has instructed that ministers cannot use aircraft without his prior approval.

As energy supply disruptions due to the West Asia war continue, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has directed ministers to obtain prior clearance from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) before aircraft for official travel. Fadnavis’s directions came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for austerity measures, including minimising fuel use.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Chief Minister has instructed that ministers cannot use aircraft without his prior approval.

The minister said he conducts most official meetings online and avoids summoning district officials to Mumbai unnecessarily. He also said ministers in the state rarely use aircraft and do so only in urgent situations.

The minister stressed that he prefers virtual meetings and ensures that district-level officials are not inconvenienced by unnecessary travel for official reviews.

“Most of my meetings are conducted online. I never call collectors to my office. I do not summon divisional commissioners to my office either. Maximum meetings are held virtually while the collector remains in Solapur or Nagpur itself. They are aware of this. I call collectors very rarely," he said.

“If you look at my schedule over the past year, I have travelled only four or five times and that too only in urgent situations. Our ministers do not travel much. The chief minister and deputy chief ministers have extremely busy schedules and responsibilities, so that is a different matter. But apart from them, very few state ministers use aircraft," he added.

The minister said instructions have also been issued under protocol norms to avoid compelling officials to travel unless absolutely necessary.

“Our first instructions are that collectors should not be made to come under protocol obligations. Therefore, we do not force officers to travel extensively. We conduct meetings online and find solutions through that mechanism," he added.

Emphasising that the Centre is trying to shield people from the adverse impact of the West Asia conflict, PM Modi has called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures to strengthen the economy.

He suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using Metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles, utilising railway services for parcel movement, and working from home to conserve foreign exchange amid the crisis in West Asia.

(with PTI inputs)

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