Minister seeks Centre’s help in tackling price rise

Minister for Civil Supplies C. Divakaran said here on Monday that if the Union government made 35,000 tonnes of rice available at Rs. 8.90 a kg, Kerala would be able to rein in the price of rice over the next four to six months.

The Minister sought the Centre’s intervention to take hoarders of food and essential commodities to task. Referring to the meeting convened by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi of Chief Ministers to discuss the spiralling prices, Mr. Divakaran said that holding meetings alone would not help.

What is needed is strong action. The government should be able procure food items and make them available across the country through Food Corporation of India network.