With food inflation still in double-digits, the first meeting of the Core Group of Central Ministers and State Chief Ministers on Prices of Essential Commodities is being held here on Thursday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will preside. Ten Chief Ministers are expected to attend. The States that will be represented include Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Assam. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee heads the group, with Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar as one of the members.
According to sources, Dr. Singh will listen to the Chief Ministers on various issues pertaining to agriculture production, food distribution and enforcement.
The Core Group was recommended by the Conference of Chief Ministers in February, which reviewed the prices of essential commodities and advocated a paradigm shift by bringing agriculture back to centrestage.
The Core Group is expected to suggest measures for increasing agriculture production and productivity and recommend ways and means for reducing the gap between farm gate prices and retail prices.