Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s austerity drive will help reduce India’s dependence on foreign countries and save valuable foreign exchange, the RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch said on Tuesday.
The organization’s statements came after Modi called for judicious use of fuel and postponement of gold purchases and travel abroad, among other measures to boost the economy, while emphasizing that the Center is trying to protect people from the negative impact of the conflict in West Asia.
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In a statement, Ashwani Mahajan, National Coordinator of JM, said that all these measures aim to reduce dependence on imports and save valuable foreign exchange.
“The Swadeshi Jagran Manch firmly believes that the Prime Minister’s appeal is nothing but a call for ‘Swadeshi’ (use of locally produced goods),” he said.
Mahajan said that reducing the consumption of petrol and diesel will not only save foreign exchange but will also enable the country to effectively deal with the shortage caused by supply disruption.
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Referring to the conflict in West Asia, Mahajan said the organization is urging people to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas to reduce the impact of supply disruptions and rising prices.
“The Prime Minister’s strong appeal will have a profound impact on the national mentality. It will not only encourage people to reduce consumption of petroleum products, but will also inspire scientists, academics and industries to explore new alternatives to petroleum products to meet daily needs,” he added.
Mahajan said the long-term solution lies in making India self-reliant in the energy sector, especially in renewable and green energy.
He said India should also be self-reliant in manufacturing clean technologies, including electric vehicles along with motors and batteries, solar energy equipment, including solar cells, wind energy equipment, green hydrogen and nuclear power.
“Once India becomes self-reliant in clean energy and technology manufacturing, the country will not only reduce its dependence on countries producing and exporting imported crude oil, but will also reduce its dependence on China and other countries for solar and wind energy equipment, electric vehicle components and other products,” he said.
Mahajan also appreciated the government’s efforts to promote the adoption and domestic manufacturing of clean technologies, renewable energy, electric vehicles, green hydrogen and nuclear energy.
He appealed to citizens, scientific community, academic institutions, youth, startups and entrepreneurs to join the campaign to reduce dependence on foreigners and contribute to creating a strong and self-reliant India.
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On Sunday, while addressing a rally organized by the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party in Hyderabad, Modi suggested reducing consumption of petrol and diesel, using metro services in cities, using cars, increasing use of electric vehicles, using railway services for parcel movement, and working from home to conserve foreign exchange amid the West Asia crisis.
Stressing the need to save foreign exchange, Modi also urged people to postpone buying gold and traveling abroad for a year.
He called for reducing consumption of edible oil, reducing the use of chemical fertilisers, promoting natural agriculture and ‘swadeshi’ (local) products to save foreign exchange and make the country self-reliant.
