PM Modi urges judicious use of fuel amid West Asia crisis, pitches energy conservation

Speaking at an event in Telangana, where he virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore, Modi said imported petroleum products should be used only as needed, as this would not only save foreign exchange but also reduce the adverse impact of war.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the need of the hour, in the wake of the West Asia crisis, is to use petroleum products judiciously. Speaking at an event in Telangana, where he virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore, Modi said imported petroleum products should be used only as needed, as this would not only save foreign exchange but also reduce the adverse impact of war. Observing that India has, in recent years, emerged among the leading countries in solar power capacity, he said unprecedented progress has also been made in ethanol blending in petrol. He noted that the government first focused on achieving 100 per cent LPG coverage and is now working towards expanding piped gas supply more affordably. The government is also promoting the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), he said. Acknowledging that such initiatives are helping India navigate the global energy crisis, the PM stressed the importance of energy conservation, reiterating that imported energy resources must be used judiciously and only when necessary. Underscoring both financial and geopolitical benefits, he said, ''Today, the need of the hour is to use petrol, gas, diesel and similar resources with restraint. We must use imported petroleum products only as needed. This will not only save foreign exchange but also reduce the adverse impact of war.'' Referring to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's remarks that there should be no politics in development, Modi said he too would avoid political comments. Assuring the Centre's support to Telangana, he invited Reddy to join him in the development journey. ''I would tell Revanth ji that I am ready to give you as much support as the Centre gave Gujarat during its 10-year rule. But as per my understanding, I must also tell you this: the moment I do that, what you are receiving may become half. You will not be able to reach where you want to reach. That is why it is better that you join me,'' he said. Noting that it is not wrong for different parties to govern different states in a democracy, he stressed that the development of states is as important as the development of the nation. He said national development is not possible without the development of states, and called for collective efforts to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat (developed India) 2047. The PM also said India is implementing reforms at a rapid pace and building modern infrastructure. He assured every family in Telangana that the Centre will continue to work ''with greater speed to realise your dreams.'' Modi said that over the last 11 years, the national highway network in Telangana has doubled. Taking a swipe at the previous UPA government, he said that before 2014, the railway budget for undivided Andhra Pradesh was less than Rs 1,000 crore, whereas today the railway budget for Telangana alone stands at Rs 5,500 crore. Earlier, in his address, CM Revanth Reddy said the Centre should support the state's development initiatives, including the expansion of the metro rail network, the Future City project, and the Musi river rejuvenation project. During the event, Modi virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore in Telangana at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and several other leaders attended the event. Modi highlighted Hyderabad's growing significance as a centre of national and global importance. He said several large-scale projects launched on the occasion would help establish Telangana as a major manufacturing hub. He noted that the projects would generate thousands of jobs and strengthen regional connectivity, and congratulated the people of Telangana. The PM laid the foundation stone for projects, including the four-laning of National Highway-167 from Gudebellur to Mahabubnagar on the Hyderabad–Panaji Economic Corridor, and the Zaheerabad Industrial Area in Sangareddy district. He also inaugurated sections of the Kazipet–Vijayawada multi-tracking railway project, a greenfield POL (Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants) terminal in Hyderabad, the Kazipet rail underpass and bypass, and the PM MITRA Park at Warangal (Kakatiya Mega Textile Park). Developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 1,700 crore, the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park is India's first fully operational PM MITRA Park and implements the Centre's 5F vision-Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. On the Zaheerabad Industrial Area, the Prime Minister said the upcoming complex would function as an industrial smart city, equipped with world-class infrastructure, reliable power supply, and advanced ICT networks, offering global investors the necessary facilities to set up operations. He said thousands of crores of rupees from the Union government would be invested in these projects, creating large-scale employment opportunities for youth in Telangana. Highlighting beneficiary participation under the Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI), Modi said, ''This textile park will create employment for a large number of people, especially our sisters and daughters.'' The PLI scheme is a performance-linked incentive programme that offers companies incentives based on incremental sales of products manufactured domestically. It aims to boost the manufacturing sector and reduce imports.