Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 13 : Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Wednesday said the ongoing West Asia crisis has started impacting global prices, which will eventually burden common people in India.
Speaking with ANI, Rawat said, "The West Asia crisis has led to an increase in the prices of oil, natural gas, fertiliser, etc., whose burden will fall on the common man of the country."
He added that prices of essential commodities were rising while some luxury goods had seen a relative decline.
"The prices of daily necessities have increased, and the prices of luxury items have decreased. It is a challenge, and the government has to act to control it," he said.
He urged that a meeting be called to address the situation. "The PM has issued some directives now... A meeting should be called with all the state's CMs to discuss the situation," he added.
The remarks come after PM Modi made an appeal in Secunderabad on Sunday, urging citizens to prioritise work from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce cooking oil use, shift to natural farming and curb gold purchases.
He stressed the need to reduce dependence on imports and said every household should cut down on edible oil consumption and move towards natural farming to help save foreign currency and protect the environment.
Highlighting the burden of fertiliser imports, the Prime Minister said India spends a significant amount of foreign exchange on importing chemical fertilisers and urged farmers to reduce their usage.
To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.
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