<br/>The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of the core group of chief ministers this evening to discuss steps to tame rising prices. Dr Singh told reporters at last evening that he would like to discuss issue of price rise amid fears of inflation crossing the double-digit mark. Asked about decision of the Left Parties to launch 'jail bharo' agitation on price rise, Dr Singh said, this problem cannot be solved by agitational tactics. The government in February had set up the high- powered core committee comprising Chief Ministers of 10 major states and senior Cabinet ministers to monitor the price situation and suggest corrective measures to check inflation. Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and are members of the core group. Besides Chief Ministers, the other members of committee are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The core committee will also deliberate on measures to reduce the huge gap between farmgate and retail price. The terms of reference of the core group include development of strategy to raise agriculture production, better implementation of the Essential Commodities Act and ensuring effective delivery of foodgrains to poor. The country has been facing perennial shortage of pulses and edible oils, while sugar production fluctuates widely resulting in either glut or shortfall.