As the hostilities in the Middle East stretched global supply chains and upended the oil market, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged citizens to help the nation conserve petrol, diesel and foreign exchange reserves by using public transport, avoiding unnecessary foreign travel and refraining from non-essential gold purchases.
“Patriotism is not only about the willingness to sacrifice one’s life on the border. In these times, it is about living responsibly and fulfilling our duties to the nation in our daily lives,” PM Modi said in Hyderabad.
The prime minister called for collective participation to help India face global economic disruptions, supply chain challenges, and rising prices caused by international conflicts.
PM Modi urged the people of India to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using metros and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling and preferring the railways to transport goods.
He also backed the use of electric vehicles.
He called for the revival of Covid-era efficiency measures in the national interest, including work from home, online conferences and virtual meetings.
PM Modi appealed to the people of the country to avoid overseas vacations and foreign weddings to save foreign exchange reserves. He requested the people to avoid non-essential gold purchases for one year. He also asked families to reduce edible oil consumption, stressing that it would benefit both the national economic health and personal health.