PM to review price rise with senior ministers today
11 Jan 2011
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened a high level meeting on Tuesday to review food inflation, which has gone past 18 per cent.
Senior ministers including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahuwalia are expected to attend the meeting.
"In general, all these issues (food prices and allowing export of agricultural items) may be discussed in the meeting. I will myself try to raise all these issues because there has to be a collective view," Pawar said.
Food inflation rose to 18.32 per cent for the week ended 25 December, due to rise in prices of vegetables like onion, milk and meat.
Pawar said that prices of rice, wheat and pulses are quite stable now but vegetable prices remain high.
For instance, retail price of onion continues to rule high at Rs 55-60 per kg in major parts of the country due to sluggish supply. Prices could have gone up further but for the calling-off a two-day strike by traders in Nashik, the major producing area, within hours.
