PM calls chief ministers meet to discuss the price rise issue
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, January 13, 2010
Dr. Manmohan Singh (File)
Concerned with the unabated rise in prices of essential commodities Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan has decided to discuss the issue with Chief Ministers later this month.
Food inflation has reached near 20 percent and prices of Sugar have become a cause of concern for common man and the government alike. The price of Sugar recently reached the unprecedented level of Rs. 50 per kilogram in NCR region.
Earlier in the day cabinet committee on prices (CCP) decided to increase the availability of sugar and other commodities in the open market to ease of the prices and contain the food inflation.
The government also allowed import of refined sugar at zero duty up to 31st December this year in the wake of sugar prices nearing Rs. 50 a kg in the retail market.
The CCP also decided to permit UP mills to process imported raw sugar outside the state due to restrictions there.
Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar told the reporters after the meeting that the government would release two-three million tones of wheat in the next two months the check the prices.
Mr. Pawar said that the Prime minister would also review the implementation of Essential Commodities Act for reining in the food prices.
