Price rise: Govt convenes CMs' meeting

Acknowledging that the situation regarding prices of food items is serious, the government said on Friday it was taking long and short term measures and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will soon convene a meeting of chief ministers to address the problem.

Singh will probably meet the chief ministers on August 17 to specifically focus on measures to curb hoarding in the backdrop of reports of blackmarketing because of shortage of supplies, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, while replying to debate on price rise in the Lok Sabha.

Dissatisfied with the reply, Opposition National Democratic Alliance and Left Parties staged a walkout in the House.

"The situation is serious. . . The government has taken the entire situation very seriously," Pawar said as he outlined the steps that the government has taken and was contemplating to deal with the problem that had been aggravated by poor monsoon.

He said the government was ready to raise subsidy and import food items, especially pulses to bridge the demand-supply gap.

"We will also try to tell them (chief ministers) that every state has to take very deterrent and effective action against all hoarders", he added.

The government, the minister said, has also convened a meeting of state chief secretaries on Saturday to discuss the issue of rising prices and the steps being taken to control hoarders and blackmarketeers.

Image: A man selling pulses. | Photograph: Reuters