The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting in New Delhi today to discuss the situationn arising out of high food prices. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia are expected to attend the meeting among others. Food inflation, fuelled by high prices of vegetables, milk, egg and meat, has crossed 18 per cent. Onion remained expensive at 55-60 rupees per kg in retail markets across the country. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said that supply of onion has started improving with fresh arrivals from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra. Meanwhilw, onion traders of Nashik have called off their two-day strike and trading at Lasalgaon market will begin today. The traders from India's largest onion market were protesting against the Income tax raids and Maharashtra government's directive not to sell onion at more than 40 rupees a Kilogram. Delhi government has decided to sell onion at 35 rupees a Kg through 400 select outlets across the city from today. Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf said it will be sold through Mother Dairy, Kendriya Bhandar and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India, NCCF outlets.
News On AIR | January 11, 2011 9:17 AM
PM convenes meeting to discuss high food prices