The government has said that the prices of most essential commodities today are lower than the prices prevailing six months back. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today, the Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar said the retail and wholesale prices of essential commodities have been showing a declining trend over the last six months in the four Metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. He said that this trend relates to the prices of Wheat, Aata, Pulses like gram and masoor dal, sugar, potatoes and onions. He however admitted that the prices of Urad dal, edible oil like groundnut oil and Vanaspati have shown a marginal increase in the same period. Outlining a number of fiscal and administrative steps as well as interventions by the Centre, Mr. Pawar said these measures have helped to moderate the price rise.