Kumar Bahukhandi
PM Modi’s Major Meeting with Chief Ministers Today (Photo: ITG)
In light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the looming threat to oil supplies, PM Modi is holding a crucial meeting with the Chief Ministers of all states. The primary objective of this meeting is to ensure that, despite the global crisis, the supply of petrol, diesel, and essential commodities within the country remains uninterrupted, and that the burden does not fall upon the common citizen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently conducting a pivotal virtual meeting with the Chief Ministers of the states. This meeting has been convened in view of the ongoing war in the Middle East and the potential threat of the Strait of Hormuz being blocked. The objective of this meeting is clear: no matter how much global turmoil ensues, the supply of oil, gas, and essential commodities in India must not be disrupted.
Just a few days ago, PM Modi had cautioned the nation that this crisis in the Middle East could pose long-term challenges for India. While the Central Government is taking every possible measure on its part, the actual responsibility for ensuring the success of these initiatives at the grassroots level rests on the shoulders of the states. Therefore, he has appealed to the Chief Ministers to put in place such arrangements within their respective states that the availability of necessities for the common man remains unaffected. He reminded them that whenever the nation faces a crisis, the Centre and the States must join forces and fight together like a single family.
Prime Minister Modi drew a parallel between the current situation and the COVID-19 pandemic that struck exactly six years ago. He stated that just as the Centre and the States worked together as ‘Team India’ during the COVID-19 crisis, that same spirit of collaboration is required once again today. It may be recalled that in March 2020, when the entire world had come to a standstill, PM Modi initiated a series of continuous meetings with the Chief Ministers. At that time, the first such meeting was held on March 20, 2020—exactly four days before a three-week nationwide lockdown was imposed. During that difficult period, he spoke with Chief Ministers on more than a dozen occasions to ensure that there were no shortcomings in testing, tracking, and treatment.
In 2021, when the vaccination drive began, PM Modi once again demonstrated his faith in the strength of India’s federal structure. To alleviate the financial burden on the states, he announced that free vaccines would be provided to everyone above the age of 18. He explicitly stated that no state government would need to spend a single penny on vaccines. At that time, the states, too, rose above politics to extend their support to the Centre—an act that PM Modi himself lauded in one of his articles. He described this as a new model of partnership.
Today, as fears loom regarding rising oil prices and supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, PM Modi’s outreach to the states underscores the fact that India’s true strength lies in its unity. This new mantra of ‘Team India’ is set to emerge as the most potent weapon in today’s meeting. The government’s objective is to ensure that the flames of the Middle East conflict do not reach India’s economy or the kitchens of its common citizens.
Deliberations on Fuel and Inflation Continue
The Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu were unable to participate in this meeting, which is being chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Due to ongoing elections in these five states, the Model Code of Conduct is currently in force, preventing them from taking part in these discussions.
In this ongoing meeting with the Chief Ministers of the remaining states, serious deliberations are underway regarding fuel supplies—amidst the tensions in the Middle East and the conflict involving Iran—as well as rising inflation and the maintenance of robust logistics systems. The Chief Ministers are briefing PM Modi on the specific situations and preparedness levels within their respective states to ensure that the global crisis does not adversely impact the general public.
Joining Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in this high-level meeting are the Chief Ministers of several major states across the country. Participants in the meeting include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh’s Mohan Yadav, Uttarakhand’s Pushkar Dhami, and Chhattisgarh’s Vishnu Deo Sai. Apart from these, Chandrababu Naidu and Revanth Reddy from South India—as well as Bhagwant Mann from Punjab and Omar Abdullah from Jammu & Kashmir—are also presenting their views. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Gujarat’s Bhupendra Patel, and Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis are also participating in the discussions, providing details regarding the preparations underway in their respective states.
