Singh faced a barrage of complaints when he chaired his weekly meeting on Thursday over a series of cost-cutting steps outlined by the finance ministry on Monday, the Hindustan Times and other media reported.
The strategy includes cuts in funds earmarked for travel, furnishing for ministers' offices and residences, publicity work, as well as seminars and workshops in luxury hotels.
The measures were imperative given a drought in large swathes of the country, which has pressured government revenues, a finance ministry statement said.
While ministers have heeded calls to cut down on foreign travel, the idea of taking economy class proved too much for many, the reports said.
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Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said previous attempts to fly in coach had proved confusing, citing protocol problems when Russian officials in Moscow were alarmed that they were unable to find him in business class.
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The tall and imposing minister for non-conventional energy, Farooq Abdullah, argued th