NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to use petrol, diesel and gas “with great restraint”, saying reducing dependence on imported fuel would help India limit the impact of the ongoing war.Addressing a gathering in Hyderabad after virtually inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 9,400 crore in Telangana, PM Modi said prudent consumption of petro products was now a national necessity. “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 per need. This will not only save foreign exchange but reduce the adverse impact of war,” he said.
He also referenced the importance on energy security saying, “What is the importance of energy security… every person in the world is feeling it today. That is why our central government is making unprecedented investments in India’s energy security. In recent years, India has reached the top ranks among the world’s countries in the field of solar power.”The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s push towards alternative and cleaner energy over the past few years, pointing to rapid growth in solar power capacity, ethanol blending in petrol and expansion of gas-based infrastructure.He said the Centre had focused first on achieving near-universal LPG coverage and was now working towards expanding affordable piped gas supply and promoting CNG-based transport systems. According to him, these efforts have helped India navigate the ongoing global energy crisis more effectively.He also said the country was progressing rapidly on reforms and infrastructure development, while assuring continued support for Telangana’s growth.The projects unveiled on Sunday covered road, railway, petroleum and textile infrastructure. Among the major initiatives were the four-laning of National Highway-167 between Gudebellur and Mahabubnagar on the Hyderabad-Panaji Economic Corridor, and infrastructure development in the Zaheerabad Industrial Area in Sangareddy district.PM Modi also inaugurated sections of the Kazipet-Vijayawada railway multi-tracking project, a Greenfield Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants terminal in Hyderabad, the Kazipet Rail Under Rail bypass, and the PM MITRA Park at Warangal, also known as the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park.Built at an estimated cost of around Rs 1,700 crore, the textile park is the country’s first fully operational PM MITRA Park and is aimed at integrating the textile value chain under the Centre’s “5F” vision — Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar were among those present at the event held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.