Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke about India's approach to strengthening energy security, emphasising infrastructure development and reducing reliance on foreign energy sources. Addressing the gathering at the NXT conclave held at Bharat Mandapam, the Prime Minister outlined the government's strategy to expand access to energy while promoting self-reliance.
"First, to increase energy access in the country, we build infrastructure. Second, we do not have to rely solely on foreign sources for energy. For this, we emphasised self-reliance in the energy sector," The Financial Express quoted him as saying.
PM criticises Opposition over LPG shortage debate
During his address, Modi also responded to the ongoing discussion around LPG shortages, criticising Opposition parties for allegedly creating panic among the public.
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He said the government is taking steps to deal with supply chain challenges while ensuring that the impact of global developments is managed.
"There's a lot of discussion these days about LPG. Some people are trying to create panic and pursue their own agenda. I don't want to comment on them politically at this time. But I will definitely say that by doing so, they are exposing themselves to the public and causing significant harm to the entire country.
No country is untouched by the impact of this global crisis caused by war. To a greater or lesser extent, everyone is affected by this crisis. India is also leaving no stone unturned to address this crisis. And we are making efforts at various levels. Recently, I have discussed this with top leaders from several countries around the world. Continuous efforts are also underway to overcome the obstacles in the supply chain," the PM stated.
Growth in petroleum reserves and LPG connections
The Prime Minister also highlighted the expansion of India's energy capacity in recent years. He noted that before 2014, the country had limited strategic petroleum reserves. According to him, the situation has changed significantly.
"In the petroleum and diesel sector, we have made significant strides in capacity building. Prior to 2014, India’s strategic petroleum reserves, crude oil stored for use during times of crisis, were minimal. Today, we have established over 50 lakh tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves," the PM said.
He also referred to the increase in LPG connections and LNG terminals in the country.
"Until 2014, there were only 14 crore LPG connections in the country. Today, there are more than double that 33 crore household LPG connections. In 2014, there were only 4 LNG terminals in the country. Today, their number has also doubled," he added.
Government efforts to cushion global crisis impact
The Prime Minister also cited the example of the rise in fertiliser prices during the Russia-Ukraine War and said the government had taken steps to shield farmers and citizens from global price shocks.
"The Indian government has always made every effort to ensure that the burden of the war's consequences doesn’t fall on Indian citizens. And when the Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated, fertiliser prices skyrocketed. Despite this, we provided our farmers with a bag of urea for Rs 300, which used to cost Rs 3,000 in the international market.
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This time too, we will make every effort to ensure that the war has minimal impact on the lives of our farmers and citizens," the PM stated.
Call for vigilance against black marketing
In his concluding remarks, Modi urged state governments to closely monitor the situation and take action against black marketing and misinformation.
"In this crucial time, from this platform, I also request the state governments: it's essential to prevent black marketing and the spread of rumours. Therefore, careful monitoring of the situation is essential. Major action should be taken against those engaging in black marketing," the PM said.
