PM meets Pranab to review price rise situation

Ahead of his meeting with state chief ministers on the issue of price rise, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to review the situation in the country.

In their “crucial” meeting, Singh and Mukherjee are understood to have discussed the key issues that the government may highlight in the review meeting on prices with state chief ministers.

The February 6 meeting with states assumes significance as Singh had recently asked them to improve food productivity and tackle shortage in essential supplies. Food inflation zoomed to 17.40 per cent in mid-January, while the overall inflation rose sharply to 7.31 per cent in December.

Singh may ask states to bring down the prices of essential commodities and improve supply of foodgrain and other items like sugar, pulses and edible oil.