The central government on Wednesday expressed concern over high food inflation, which is nearing 20 per cent, and asked states to lift more wheat and rice stocks from its pool -- a move that will help increase foodgrain availability and eventually ease prices.
Food inflation, according to the data released earlier in the day, further rose to 19.95 per cent for the week ended December 5.
Tikait said the farmers are ready to talk with the government on the farm laws but made it clear that the discussions should be held without conditions.
The government on Monday exempted importers of pulses from stock limits, and also relaxed the norms for millers and wholesalers, in view of softening of prices of the key pulses in the country. Now, the stock limits will be applicable only on tur, urad, gram and masoor for a period up to October 31, it said. However, these entities will continue to declare their stocks on the web portal of the Department of Consumer Affairs, it added. A revised order in this regard has been notified.
In a two-pronged strategy, the Communist Party of India-Marxist on Saturday attacked the Congress on its economic policies and the Bharatiya Janata Party for practising 'majority communalism' and claimed that it has taken remedial steps to overcome the defeat of the party in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The Communist Party of India - Marxist has analysed the reasons for the 'reverses' it suffered in West Bengal and Kerala in the last Lok Sabha elections and also 'identified'
The monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled to begin on July 26, is expected to be a stormy one with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition seeking to pin down the Centre on issues like the hike in fuel prices and essential commodities, and Foreign Minister SM Krishna's Pakistan visit.
During an informal chat, economist Abhirup Sarkar explained in a layperson's terms why the prices in India are escalating so fast.
"The prime minister should either bring down prices or leave his chair," Yadav told reporters.
The CII has suggested a 5-point agenda on the measures that need to be undertaken by central and state governments to stave off the adverse effects of a deficient monsoon. Let's find out what this agenda is. . .
Regarding the impact of drought on economy, he said, the growth rate could slip to 6-6.5 per cent from 6.7 per cent in the previous fiscal. Stressing that the government should ensure that imported pulses reach the targeted people, Rangarajan said, there is a need to strengthen the public distribution system.
Hours after the Centre decided to send security forces to remove the 65-day-old blockade of the two national highways causing severe shortage of essential commodities in Manipur, the Naga groups announced temporary suspension of their stir from Tuesday.
Centre will send forces to remove blockade of national highway passing through Nagaland, said Home Secretary G K Pillai on Monday.
In the Upper House of Parliament, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow adjournment notices moved by opposition members on the issue of price rise, prompting members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Left parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Shiv Sena to create an uproar.
The tax proposals are expected to mobilise an additional revenue of Rs. 1,000 crore.
A three member delegation of Bhartiya Janata Party headed by Prakash Javadekar called on the union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday evening and demanded that the government should take immediate steps to end the blockade of National Highway 39 by the Naga students so that the supplies of the essential commodities reach the people of Manipur.
Strongly rebutting the charges, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Gulf countries are deeply committed to friendly relations with India and they are even seeking bilateral talks on the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Talking about India's close and traditional ties with the Arab countries, he said New Delhi is ensuring uninterrupted supply of food and essential commodities to the region during Ramzan as part of its deep-rooted friendship.
In a statement released in New Delhi, Gadkari said: "I personally apologise on behalf of the BJP to the people of Delhi for the inconvenience caused to them due to traffic disruptions during the rally."
The regulator is now probing 24 hospitals, including Max Hospital in New Delhi and Lilavati in Mumbai, for allegedly overcharging patients for stents
The curfew in Hyderabad was relaxed for the first time on Thursday morning, in parts of the old city which witnessed communal clashes that left two persons dead since Saturday. The restrictions were eased to allow people to buy essential commodities under the limits of Charminar, Hussainialam, Kamatipura, Kalapathar, Bahadurpura, Madannapet, Santoshnagar, Kanchanbagh and Bhavaninagar police stations.
The Maharashtra government on Friday announced a series of measures to combat inflation. These include making available essential commodities like pulses, edible oil and grains at concessional rates and allowing direct sale of farm produce to consumers, bypassing the Agriculture Produce Market Committee.
The common man's main grouse is high inflation numbers. But there are other anomalies as well that need to be addressed.
We asked around people from every walk of life and culled their reactions on the present price rise.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said his government will bring a bill against the Centre's farm laws on the lines of Punjab.
Addressing the first annual conference of the chief secretaries, Singh reaffirmed Centre's commitment to assist States in everyway it can.
The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, official sources said in New Delhi.
Blaming Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for the unprecedented rise in price of food and other essential commodities, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday demanded his immediate removal from the post.
brass led by L K Advani on Wednesday submitted a memorandum on rising prices of sugar and essential commodities to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who assured that the government would take appropriate steps to keep a check on it. Besides Advani, party president Nitin Gadkari, senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, S S Ahluwalia, Ananth Kumar were also part of the delegation.
Coming down heavily on the Centre for rise in prices of essential commodities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement to convene a meeting on the issue was like "starting digging a well to extinguish the fire".
The sugar industry is all set to challenge the recent amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, which seeks to introduce a fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane, besides absolving the government of a Rs 14,000-crore levy price obligation arising out of several court rulings.
Calling for public cooperation to the government's efforts to stem the spread of the virus, Stalin urged people to follow due protocol like social distancing and wearing of masks.
National security advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday said the new areas of warfare have shifted from territorial frontiers to civil societies, adding that factors like people's health, their sense of well-being and security, and their perception of government impact the will of a nation.
The Reserve Bank of India is highly concerned with soaring inflation and the crushing impact of the weight of rising prices of food items and other essential commodities on the common man.
The Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party have joined hands to call for a nationwide 12-hour strike on Monday to protest the astronomical rise in prices of essential commodities and fuel.
Curfew was lifted on Friday from Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town, which witnessed mob violence last week, following an improvement in the situation.
How effective are strikes to solve an issue as vexing as this? Aren't strikes a bane for a nation already reeling under a heavy dose of inflation?
In view of the severe drought and growing prices of essential commodities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has constituted a crisis management group of Ministers (GoM) for monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis.
Dr Singh asked the student delegation to lift the blockade of National Highway No: 39 to facilitate the movement of essential commodities to Manipur, where the prices have soared beyond the reach of citizens. For example, rice is priced at Rs 100 per kg, while cooking gas cylinders are being sold between Rs 1500 and Rs 2000. Medicines too are in short supply.
The drop in inflation, which is still not in comfort zone, is viewed as a breather for the government grappling with high price rise of essential commodities.
As common people grope for means to counter the ever-increasing prices of essential commodities, the economists and financial analysts fear that the recent hike in fuel prices would soon push inflation past 9 per cent. In an interview to rediff.com's special correspondent A Ganesh Nadar, Economic advisor to the Tata group Siddhartha Roy, shared his thoughts on the vexing issue of India's inflation.
Admitting that rising prices of essential commodities like pulses and edible oils have affected the common people, government said on Friday that measures already initiated will be intensified to ease the situation.
