Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, May 10, appealed to citizens to conserve fuel, use public transport, revive work from home, avoid non-essential goods purchase and overseas vacations to save foreign exchange to combat the global crisis triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia.
Addressing a public meeting organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, Modi said the international crisis had triggered supply chain disruptions and rising prices across sectors, affecting economies worldwide, including India.
Stressing the need for collective participation, the Prime Minister said patriotism was not limited to sacrificing one’s life for the country, but also involved acting responsibly during difficult times and fulfilling duties towards the nation.
Modi said India must place greater emphasis on conserving foreign exchange reserves at a time when fuel prices globally have risen sharply. “Since petrol and diesel have become extremely expensive across the world, it is our responsibility to save fuel and thereby save the foreign exchange spent on purchasing petrol and diesel,” he said.
He urged people to make greater use of Metro rail and public transport systems, adopt car-pooling wherever possible, and prefer railways for transportation of goods. He also encouraged wider use of electric vehicles as a way to reduce dependence on imported fuel.
Calling for a return to some of the systems adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Modi said work-from-home arrangements, online meetings and video conferences should once again be prioritised in the national interest. “During the Corona period, we adopted work from home, online meetings, video conferences, and developed many such systems. We had also become accustomed to them. Today, the need of the hour is that we restart those practices,” he said.
The Prime Minister also asked citizens to avoid unnecessary foreign travel, overseas vacations and destination weddings abroad, saying domestic tourism and celebrations within India would help conserve foreign exchange.
In another appeal aimed at reducing import-related pressure on reserves, Modi urged people to avoid purchasing non-essential gold for a year. He also encouraged citizens to support locally manufactured products and prioritise “Made in India” goods, including daily-use items such as shoes, bags and accessories.
Modi further called on families to reduce edible oil consumption, saying it would benefit both the country’s economic health and individual well-being.
Addressing farmers, the Prime Minister urged them to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers by 50%, adopt natural farming practices, and switch to solar-powered irrigation pumps instead of diesel-run alternatives. He said such measures would help protect soil health and reduce dependence on imports.
Referring to the broader global context, Modi said the world was already grappling with supply chain disruptions following the COVID-19 pandemic and that the Ukraine war had worsened the situation further. He said the government had been working continuously over the past several years to shield people from the economic impact.
Highlighting subsidies provided by the Union government, Modi said fertilisers that cost around Rs 3,000 per bag globally were being made available to Indian farmers for less than Rs 300.
“We don’t have big oil wells. We have to import petrol, diesel and gas. The prices of petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers have skyrocketed. For the last two months, the government has been making continuous efforts to save people from the impact by shouldering the burden,” he said.
“When the supply chain continues to be in crisis, no matter what measures we take, the difficulties only increase. Therefore, now we must fight unitedly, keeping the country and Mother India first,” the Prime Minister added.