 "Prime Minister Narendra Modi")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a virtual meeting with chief ministers to review preparedness in light of the evolving situation arising from the West Asia crisis.
“The prime minister interacted with the chief ministers through video conferencing on the West Asia conflict and reviewed preparedness and plans of the states. The meeting focused on ensuring synergy of efforts in the spirit of Team India,” PTI quoted a source as saying.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised that the government’s key priorities are maintaining economic and trade stability, ensuring energy security, safeguarding citizens’ interests, and strengthening industry and supply chains.
He expressed confidence that, working together as “Team India,” the country would overcome the challenges.
PM Modi urged states to ensure the smooth functioning of supply chains and take strict action against hoarding and profiteering. He also called for advance planning in the agriculture sector, particularly in monitoring fertiliser storage and distribution to prevent disruptions.
Highlighting the need for close coordination, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of robust response mechanisms at all levels.
He asked border and coastal states to remain especially alert to issues related to shipping, essential supplies, and maritime operations.
He also cautioned against the spread of misinformation and rumours, urging authorities to share accurate and credible information to prevent panic.
Chief ministers briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in their respective states, noting that overall conditions remain stable with adequate availability of petrol, diesel, and LPG. They welcomed steps taken by the Centre, including excise duty cuts on fuel and increased allocation of commercial LPG, reported News18.
The chief ministers also appreciated the Centre’s measures and reaffirmed their commitment to work closely with the Union government to effectively manage the situation.
This is the first time that the prime minister held such a meeting with the chief ministers on the West Asia conflict which started on February 28 with the attack by the US-Israel on Iran. Iran also retaliated by firing on its Gulf neighbours and Israel.
Those chief ministers who attended the meeting included N Chandra Babu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Omar Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh) among others.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah were also present in the meeting.
Chief ministers of poll-bound states did not participate in the meeting due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The Cabinet Secretariat is expected to convene a separate meeting with the chief secretaries of election-bound states — Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala — as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Earlier, on March 25, the government held an all-party meeting to brief political leaders on the West Asia situation, during which a detailed presentation outlined steps taken to address the evolving crisis.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on March 23, PM Modi said the challenging global conditions arising from the West Asia conflict are likely to persist and urged the nation to remain prepared and united, drawing parallels with the collective response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also highlighted the internal security dimension of the crisis, warning that certain elements may attempt to exploit the situation. The Prime Minister said all security agencies have been placed on alert, with enhanced measures being implemented across coastal, border, cyber, and strategic sectors.
With inputs from agencies