Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to reduce the use of petrol and diesel and refrain from buying gold for a year to help conserve foreign exchange.
Addressing a public rally here, Modi said people should make greater use of metro services and electric vehicles to cut fuel consumption. “Petrol and diesel have become very expensive globally, and we need to save foreign exchange by reducing fuel consumption,” he said.
He also appealed to people to avoid buying gold for social functions. “There was a time when people donated gold for the country. Now, people should take an oath not to buy gold for any functions,” he said.
Referring to rising import costs, Modi said India was once able to afford copper imports, but the metal has now become expensive and is putting pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
He added that consumption of edible oils should also be reduced and farmers must cut dependence on imported chemical fertilisers..
Stating that the country was passing through difficult times, the Prime Minister said the middle class should curb expenditure, strengthen savings, and avoid foreign travel.
Recalling measures adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said practices such as work-from-home, use of public transport, and online conferences should be encouraged.
The Centre is according top priority to the creation of basic infrastructure across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
Earlier, while speaking after inaugurating and laying the foundation for various development projects involving a total investment of ₹9,377 crore, he said the development of states was also vital for the progress of the country, even as different parties could be ruling in different states in a democracy.
The centre was contributing to Telangana in the same manner as it was helping the development of Gujarat, he said.
Projects like Zaheerabad Industrial area, for which foundation stone was laid today, would result in creation of jobs for Telangana Youth, he said.
Referring to the development of railways in the State, Modi said while the railway budget was ₹1000 crore for the undivided Andhra Pradesh earlier, Telangana alone was allocated ₹5,500 crore, the Prime Minister said.
The Centre was focusing on energy security and ensuring that the West Asia crisis did not have an adverse impact on the country, Modi added.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said Telangana rising initiative of the State government would go hand in hand with the Viksit Bharat vision of the government. He requested the Centre’s support to Telangana’s development.
The Prime Minister met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan at their residences here.
Published on May 10, 2026
