Mukherjee promises additional measures to reverse food inflation

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday promised more measures to check price rise of essential commodities.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi on the sidelines of a meeting on rural development he admitted high food inflation was a matter of concern but said that steps had been initiated by the government to counter it. He added that the government was also keenly watching the situation.

He said the cabinet secretary had held a review meeting on initiating further steps in line with the deliberations of the cabinet committee on prices to reverse the up trend.

The committee of secretaries, headed by the cabinet secretary, K M Chandrasekhar, had on Tuesday reviewed the situation on prices as also availability of essential commodities.

Annual food inflation for the week ended 2 January stood was 17.28 per cent, according to the latest official data.

Mukherjee said the imports of essential commodities had already been liberalised by the government to meet shortages.

''We have also ensured availability of wheat and rice in the market by offloading through FCI,'' he said.

Earlier, inaugurating a two-day conference of project directors of the District Rural Development Agency, Mukherjee said the centre's priority was the successful implementation of its flagship programmes aimed at improving the quality and reach of public services in rural areas to achieve higher growth. The conference was organised by the ministry of rural development.