Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said India’s economy is getting back to higher growth, but faced some irritants. He was addressing the parliamentary consultative committee for his ministry in New Delhi. The minister listed trade imbalances, volatility in portfolio investments, current account deficit, drop in foreign direct investments to almost half of last year’s levels and the crisis in the euro zone as the biggest concerns. According to an official press release the finance minister said there is a need to improve the public distribution system to ensure the people below poverty line get food grain at nominal price of wheat at Rs. 2 a kg and rice at Rs. 3 a kilogram. The finance minister also urged various stakeholders to be responsible in their assessment of the requirement of food grain if the government is to ensure that every needy person is provided for. Referring to the price rise issue he said that government has taken a number of fiscal and administrative measures and continues to be vigilant on this front. He urged different sectors to project their demands correctly so that there is optimal utilisation of available resources. The minister said there is an urgent need to make more investment in research and development and innovation both by the government and industry. He added that skilled manpower is necessary for maintaining higher trajectory of growth.