New Delhi:
Amid fears of inflation crossing double digit mark, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is meeting Chief Ministers of 10 major states and senior Cabinet ministers on Thursday to discuss measures to check price rise.
Ahead of the meeting, when asked about the decision of the Left parties to launch 'jail bharo' agitation on price rise, Singh said, "I don't think this problem can be solved by agitational tactics."
He said, "I would like political parties to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience to evolve practical and pragmatic solution to the problem."
The core group of chief ministers, set up in February, comprises Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Besides CMs, the other members of committee are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
Though Prime Minister is not part of the Group, he decided to convene the first meeting of the committee as the issue concerns common man, a senior government official said.
Inflation soared to 9.89 per cent during February and is expected to cross the double-digit mark in March, the data for which is likely to be released next week. The food inflation had been ruling at over 16 per cent.
The core committee will also deliberate on measures to reduce the huge gap between farmgate and retail price. This issue was earlier raised in Parliament by Mukherjee.
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.