Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for the revival of Covid-era work practices such as work-from-home, online conferences and virtual meetings, saying the ongoing global crisis and rising fuel prices required collective public participation and responsible consumption.
Addressing a public gathering in Hyderabad, Modi said international conflicts, particularly the prolonged hostilities in West Asia, had disrupted global supply chains and put pressure on oil prices and India’s foreign exchange reserves.
“During the Corona period, we developed many systems of work from home, online meetings and video conferences, and we even became accustomed to them. Today, the demands of the times are such that if we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest,” the Prime Minister said.
He urged citizens and institutions to once again prioritise remote work and digital interactions to help reduce fuel consumption and ease pressure on the economy.
“We must prioritise work from home, online conferences and virtual meetings again. We must also place a strong emphasis on saving foreign exchange, as petrol and diesel have become so expensive globally,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister framed the appeal as part of a broader national effort to minimise the impact of global economic disruptions and rising import costs caused by geopolitical tensions.
Calling for responsible use of fuel, Modi urged people to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using public transport, metros and carpooling wherever possible.
“A big resolution is to use petrol and diesel sparingly. In cities with metro lines, we should decide to travel by metro only. If we must use a car, then we should try to carpool,” he said.
He also encouraged greater use of electric vehicles and railway transport for the movement of goods to reduce dependence on imported fuel.
“But today, the need of the hour is also to use petrol, gas, diesel and such things with great restraint. We have to use imported petro products only as needed. This will not only save foreign exchange but reduce the adverse impact of war,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said patriotism was not limited to sacrifice on the battlefield, but also involved fulfilling responsibilities during difficult economic conditions.
“In this time of global crisis, we have to make a resolution keeping duty paramount and fulfil it with complete dedication,” he said.
In a significant appeal to the middle class, Modi also asked citizens to avoid unnecessary foreign travel, overseas vacations and destination weddings for at least a year to help conserve foreign exchange reserves.
“The growing culture of weddings abroad, travelling abroad and vacationing abroad is becoming prevalent among the middle class. We must decide that during this time of crisis, we should postpone travelling abroad for at least a year,” he said.
The Prime Minister further urged people to refrain from buying gold for a year, saying large-scale imports of the precious metal heavily impact India’s forex reserves.
“Gold purchases are another area where foreign exchange is used extensively. In the national interest, we must resolve not to purchase gold for a year, no matter how many functions we have scheduled at home,” he said.