Cycle to work once a month, says Modi

Cycling to work one day a month and turning off city street lights on full moon nights will help save fuel, Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday.

"At least one day a month can be a 'cycle day'. People should use cycles to work and other places rather than (use) cars," Modi told Vibrant Gujarat's National Summit on Inclusive Urban Development.

"This is not a new concept. Denmark has been encouraging its citizens to use cycles often by providing tax incentives," Modi said.

"For this, proper urban infrastructure for the safety and usage of cycles needs to be developed. This will result in fuel savings."

India, which imports most of its crude, suffers from international price fluctuations that cost the exchequer nearly Rs.90,000 crore in annual fuel bills.

Modi said that going powerless on a full moon night was a sustainable and most cost effective way to fight global energy crisis.

"It will not require any budget allocation or file work."