Shillong, May 20: Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Methodius Dkhar on Wednesday said the state has yet to make decisions regarding work-from-home arrangements or restricting official travel.
“We have seen the request from our Prime Minister, and I have also seen that in Assam the Chief Minister has introduced certain restrictions regarding travel to different countries for ministers and officers. But we have not taken such a decision yet,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, postpone gold purchases for one year, moving to COVID-time measures like work-from-home arrangements and to avoid foreign travel to protect India’s foreign exchange reserves.
Dkhar said the government is monitoring the situation closely and any decision would be communicated after review.
The minister stated that the government has not discussed reducing official convoys to conserve fuel and claimed that ministers already use minimal escort vehicles except when necessary.
The minister assured citizens that Meghalaya is not experiencing any fuel shortages. He urged residents not to panic, stating that although uncertainties arise due to international political issues. However, he advised people to remain cautious due to the unpredictable nature of the global landscape.
Addressing the rising prices of petrol, diesel, and other commodities, Dkhar said that these increases stem from revised rates issued by the central government. He said that such changes are not decisions made by the state government but are influenced by notifications from the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The future price rise remains uncertain and will largely depend on the continuation or resolution of ongoing conflicts, he added.
The minister further said the impact of the conflict is being felt beyond the petroleum sector, with prices of materials such as steel and aluminium already witnessing an increase in the market.
“This war is not only affecting petroleum and gas, but also other products. Prices of steel and aluminium have already increased, and automatically that affects the market,” Dkhar said.
