New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for an ‘all-out effort’ to safeguard the Indian citizens from the impact of the war in West Asia and stressed a timely and authentic public information system to ward off any misinformation or rumour-mongering.
At a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by him, the prime minister assessed the availability of critical needs for the common people and said all efforts must be made to safeguard the citizens from the impact of this conflict.
The meeting was held to review measures taken by ministries and departments in view of the West Asia conflict, and discuss further initiatives in that context, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
This was the second special CCS meeting on this issue. The first was held on March 22.
Modi directed all concerned departments to take all possible measures to ameliorate the problems of citizens and sectors affected by the ongoing global situation, the PMO statement said.
At the meeting, the prime minister took stock of fertilisers and steps being taken to ensure their availability in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.
He emphasised a smooth flow of authentic information to the public to prevent misinformation and rumour-mongering.
“Chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Reviewed the steps being taken by various Ministries and Departments in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict and also discussed the next set of initiatives to be taken,” Modi said in a post on X.
Energy, agriculture, fertilisers, aviation, shipping and logistics were some of the sectors discussed in the meeting, he said.
Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan briefed those present about action taken to ensure the supply of petroleum products, particularly LNG/LPG, and power.
Sources are being diversified for the procurement of LPG with new inflows from different countries.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is also being sourced from different countries.
LPG prices for domestic consumers have remained the same, and anti-diversion enforcement to curb its hoarding and black marketing is being conducted regularly, the cabinet secretary said.
Union ministers Amit Shah (Home), S Jaishankar (External Affairs), Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance), Piyush Goyal (Commerce), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture), J P Nadda (Health) and Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways) were among those present at the meeting.
Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar (Power), Pralhad Joshi (Food and Consumer Affairs), Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation), and Hardeep Singh Puri (Petroleum) also attended it.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the prime minister’s two principal secretaries, P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, were in attendance.
The attendees were informed that initiatives have been taken to expand piped natural gas connections.
Measures like exempting the gas-based power plants with a capacity of 7-8 GW from the gas pooling mechanism and increasing rake for positioning more coal at thermal power stations, have also been taken to ensure availability of power during the peak summer months.
Interventions proposed to be taken for emerging challenges in such sectors as agriculture, civil aviation, shipping and logistics were also discussed.
Efforts, like maintaining urea production to meet requirements, coordinating with overseas supplies for DAP/NPKS suppliers, are being taken to ensure fertiliser supply, they were told.
State governments are being requested to curb black marketing, hoarding, and diversion of fertilisers through daily monitoring, raids, and strict action, the statement said.
The retail prices of food commodities have been stable over the past month. Control Rooms have been set up for constant monitoring and interaction with States/UTs on prices and enforcement of the Essential Commodities Act.
The prices of agricultural products, vegetables and fruits are also being monitored.
Efforts to globally diversify India’s sources for energy, fertilisers and other supply chains, and international initiatives to secure safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts are being taken by the government.
On March 22, the prime minister held another meeting with the same set of ministers and offices and reviewed the situation arising out of the conflict in West Asia.
Then, Modi said the conflict was an evolving situation, and the entire world was affected in some form.
On March 12, Modi said that the war had triggered a worldwide energy crisis, posing a critical test of national character that requires dealing with circumstances through peace, patience and increased public awareness.
“Continuous efforts are also underway to determine how we can overcome the disruptions that have occurred in the supply chain,” Modi then said.
The prime minister has spoken to many global leaders since the West Asia conflict started on February 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Iran retaliated by targeting Israel and several of its Gulf neighbours.
Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world’s energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships have been allowed by Iran to cross it.
The blockade has resulted in severe disruptions in energy supply to many countries, including India.
Since the conflict, Modi has had telephonic conversations with leaders from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Israel and Iran.
He has also spoken to US President Donald Trump. After a telephonic conversation between the two on March 24, Modi said he “had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia.” PTI ACB BJ VN VN
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