Modi Tells India To Save Fuel, Stop Buying Gold, Cut Overseas Travel

HYDERABAD -Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 10 appealed to citizens to conserve fuel, use public transport, revive work-from-home practices, avoid non-essential purchases and overseas vacations, and reduce gold buying to help save foreign exchange amid the global crisis triggered by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Addressing a public meeting organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Parade Grounds here, the Prime Minister called for collective public participation to help India deal with global economic disruptions, supply chain challenges and rising prices caused by international conflicts.

Suggesting several measures to help the country overcome the challenges, PM Modi said patriotism was not only about sacrificing one’s life for the nation, but also about living responsibly and fulfilling duties towards the country during difficult times.

He said the nation must place strong emphasis on saving foreign exchange in the current situation.

“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 citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using Metro rail and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for goods movement and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.

Modi also called for the revival of Covid-era efficiency measures, including work-from-home arrangements, online conferences and virtual meetings.

“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, as it would be in the national interest, and we must once again give them priority,” he said.

Modi also appealed to citizens to conserve foreign exchange reserves by avoiding unnecessary foreign travel, overseas vacations and destination weddings abroad, while promoting domestic tourism and celebrations within India.

He further advised people to avoid non-essential gold purchases for one year to reduce pressure on foreign exchange outflows.

He encouraged citizens to prioritize Made-in-India and locally manufactured products, including daily-use items such as shoes, bags and accessories.

He also urged families to reduce edible oil consumption, saying it would benefit both national economic health and personal well-being.

The Prime Minister appealed to farmers to reduce chemical fertilizer usage by 50 per cent and move towards natural farming practices to protect soil health and reduce import dependence. He also encouraged wider adoption of solar-powered irrigation pumps instead of diesel pumps.

Modi said the world was already facing a major supply chain crisis after the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Ukraine war had further worsened global economic conditions.

He pointed out that while a bag of fertilizer costs around Rs 3,000 globally, Indian farmers receive it for less than Rs 300 due to government support.

“We don’t have big oil wells. We have to import petrol, diesel and gas. The prices of petrol, diesel, gas and fertilizers 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,” he added. (IANS)