Austerity measures: Agriculture ministry officials pause gold buying for a year

Officials in the ministries of agriculture and rural development have agreed to avoid buying gold for one year. The move supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity steps. An official statement on Monday said the decision aimed to save foreign exchange. Purchases were allowed only for events such as weddings or other special family occasions.

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The statement said Union Agriculture as well as Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took steps to give administrative form to the appeal. The focus included frugality, conserving resources, and self-reliance. It also listed actions to cut fuel use, manage power use, expand virtual work, and lower government spending across offices.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi austerity appeal and foreign exchange pressure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the appeal as import costs rose amid supply chain disruption. The disruption followed the West Asia war, the statement said. The appeal suggested using less petrol and diesel. It also mentioned metro rail, carpooling, more EV use, and working from home.

The government also tightened rules on precious metal imports during May. Effective May 13, import duty on gold and silver rose to 15 per cent. On May 14, a 100 kg cap applied to gold imports under the Advance Authorisation scheme. The scheme lets jewellery exporters import inputs at zero duty.

Gold purchase curbs in agriculture ministry and rural development ministry

Chouhan met officials from the Agriculture Department and Rural Development Department. The meeting also included Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Agricultural Education and Land Resources Department. The statement said officers decided not to buy gold for one year. Exceptions included a daughter’s marriage or another special family occasion.

The statement added that the decision was not a formal government order. It described the step as a voluntary moral-social resolution. Chouhan called it a serious response to the appeal of the prime minister. Chouhan also described it as personal restraint taken in the national interest.

Energy saving, work from home and fuel control in ministries

Chouhan stressed energy saving within offices and issued practical directions. Lights, fans, air-conditioners, computers, and other devices should be switched off when unused. About 20 per cent of employees will work from home in rotation. The statement said file processing and regular operations must not be affected.

To cut fuel use, the ministries planned a car-pooling system once a week. The system will cover staff up to the Director level. The ministry also aimed to reduce vehicle usage by about one-third. Chouhan said official visits and meetings will be more controlled and need-based.

Only essential visits will take place, according to the statement. Where possible, reviews, consultations, and meetings will move to video conferencing. The change aimed to avoid large delegations and reduce spending. It was also decided that zonal conferences in Guwahati and Visakhapatnam will be held virtually.

Save the Farm Campaign and Khet Bachao Abhiyan focus in agriculture

The statement said a public awareness campaign will promote balanced and healthy edible oil use. Chouhan also spoke about natural farming and balanced fertiliser use. The Agriculture Department and ICAR decided to launch a Save the Farm Campaign. Scientists will visit villages and advise farmers after soil analysis.

Based on soil elements, scientists will guide farmers on fertiliser type and quantity. Chouhan stated that the Farm Saving Campaign Khet Bachao Abhiyan will run nationwide for 15 days. It will start on June 1. The Kharif Conference on May 28th and 29th will stress balanced fertiliser use.

A separate session at the Kharif Conference will promote natural farming, the statement said. The package of measures also included tighter control of travel and more online meetings. Officials said the steps aimed to conserve fuel, cut power use, and reduce spending. The gold buying restraint remained voluntary, with limited family exceptions.

With inputs from PTI