PM Modi Urges Fuel Conservation, Public Transport Use Amid West Asia Crisis

BuzzBytes Desk | Vadodara | May 11
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged citizens to adopt austerity measures in view of the ongoing West Asia crisis, calling for reduced fuel consumption, greater use of public transport and electric vehicles, and restraint in foreign currency spending.
Addressing a gathering in Vadodara after inaugurating the Sardar Dham Hostel built by the Patidar community, Modi appealed to people to defer gold purchases and minimise unnecessary imports amid global uncertainty and disruptions caused by tensions in West Asia.
“The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” the Prime Minister said.
Highlighting India’s dependence on West Asia for crude oil and LPG imports, Modi stressed the need for collective public participation in conserving resources and reducing external dependence.
“Whenever India faced war or any major crisis, citizens fulfilled their responsibilities upon the government’s appeal; we need to do the same today,” he said.
The Prime Minister urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption by increasingly using public transport and electric vehicles.
He also encouraged people to continue practices such as work from home, wherever feasible, to cut unnecessary fuel use and travel expenditure.
“We must make every effort to reduce the use of imported products and avoid personal activities that involve spending foreign currency,” Modi said.
Appealing for restraint in spending on imported luxury goods, Modi specifically asked citizens to postpone gold purchases, noting that a significant amount of India’s foreign exchange reserves are spent on importing the precious metal.
The Prime Minister had first raised the issue of adopting austerity measures during an event in Telangana on Sunday and reiterated the appeal during his address in Gujarat a day later.
The remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia that have disrupted shipping routes, impacted global energy markets and triggered concerns over rising fuel prices and economic uncertainty worldwide.