New Delhi: Prime minister Manmohan Singh has set up a special monitoring cell to keep a daily watch on inflation and has sought the personal intervention of state chief ministers to help control prices and ensure adequate supplies of essential commodities to consumers.

In a letter to state chief ministers yesterday, the PM said state governments could help curb the rise in prices of essential commodities by monitoring unusual, short-term price fluctuations and cracking down on profiteers and hoarders.

He asked them to set up mechanisms for intensive monitoring of the prices of commodities and intervene where necessary.

Singh also told the chief ministers that an efficient state-wide public distribution system would ensure availability of essential commodities to low and middle-income consumers who were particularly vulnerable to price rises.

The forward markets commission has already banned trading in pulses like urad and tur, the PM informed them.