Source : PTI | Prime Minister called on Indians to meet the challenge of disruptions to fuel and other supplies caused by the West Asian conflict by adopting austerity measures similar to the ones taken during the Covid pandemic as the country copes with a surge in its import bill.
He underscored the need for a reduction in petrol and diesel consumption through a greater reliance on public transport and working from home during a speech in Hyderabad on Sunday.
Modi said Indians should conserve foreign exchange reserves by avoiding the purchase of non-essential gold for a year and refrain from holidaying abroad for a similar period.
The Prime Minister also urged that overseas destination weddings be eschewed and asked farmers to slash fertiliser use by half.
“Due to the war, the prices of petrol, diesel, gas and fertiliser have skyrocketed,” Modi said. “We keep reading about the crisis in other countries. In India, the government is shouldering all the burden itself. But when there is a crisis in the supply chain, whatever measures we take, the problems keep on increasing. Hence, we have to fight collectively keeping the wellbeing of Maa Bharati uppermost.”
The Prime Minister said patriotism should be viewed through the perspective of living responsibly and fulfilling one’s duties toward the nation, in his strongest appeal since the war started on February 28. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war has sharply reduced supplies of LPG, petroleum, fertiliser and other essential goods.
“It is our responsibility to save the funds which have to be spent on importing petrol, diesel, gas and fertiliser,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also advocated car pooling, goods movement by rail and the increased use of electric vehicles. Covid-era efficiency should be practiced in the national interest, including workfrom-home as well as online meetings and conferences, he said.
The state-owned oil marketing companies have absorbed underrecoveries of Rs 30,000 crore per month in order to shield retail consumers higher prices.
While the government has dismissed fears of a hike in petrol and diesel prices, it has sharply increased the price of commercial LPG to Rs 3,000 from Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder in major cities. The price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for overseas flights has also been raised. The opposition had alleged that the government was waiting for assembly elections in five states to get over before increasing the price of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit India on May 14-15 to attend the BRICS foreign ministers summit at which some of the supply chain issues may be taken up.
