NEW DELHI, APRIL 8
Seeking greater involvement of States to combat shooting prices of agri commodities and ensure effective nationwide distribution of foodgrains, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today set up three working groups of chief ministers.
The decision to set up the working groups was taken after about a four-hour long marathon meeting of the core committee comprising 10 chief ministers, senior Cabinet ministers and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The meeting was chaired by Singh.
The Centre has decided to involve the states in dealing with the price situation at a time when the both are blaming each other for rising food inflation, which soared to 17.70 per cent.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar said the first working group on agriculture production will be headed by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and will comprise chief ministers of Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will head the working group on consumer affairs. It will have Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh chief ministers as members.
The third working on food and public distribution will be headed by Ahluwalia and will include chief ministers of Chhattisgarh, Assam and chairman of Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) C Rangarajan as members.
