Govt to announce steps to check price rise today

The government today decided on a slew of measures to check high inflation, particularly of food items following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's consultations with his senior Cabinet colleagues yesterday.

The Prime Minister's meeting was followed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today holding discussions with Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Pawar said, "Whatever decision has been taken at the meeting will be brought to the notice of Prime Minister and thereafter will be released to the media sometime today".

The government has been under attack for not being able to bring down prices, especially of food items.

The food inflation, fueled by rising prices of vegetables, fruits, meat and egg has crossed 18 per cent.

After the Prime Minister's consultations, the decision of the Agriculture Ministry to export five lakh tonnes of sugar was referred to the empowered Group of Ministers, headed by Mukherjee.