6 Feb 2010, 0905 hrs IST

New Delhi, India: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Chief Ministers today to discuss the prices of essential commodities and measures to check inflation.

As the blame game continues between the Centre and the state over rising prices, the Prime Minister will meet Chief Ministers today to discuss ways to bring down prices of essential commodities and check inflation.

The Prime Minister is likely to ask states to tone up the public distribution system and take stringent measures against hoarders.

This comes a day after a Congress Working Committee meeting over prices in which Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar came under fire for his handling of the crisis. Many Congress leaders hit out at the minister without actually naming him.

The Cabinet Secretary has laid out an action plan for the meeting, which proposes discouraging sugar intake and encouraging that of pulses.

The government notes that sugar prices have more than doubled from a year ago and the consumption is far more than the supply. So there should be a nationwide campaign to dissuade sugar consumption.

The note also proposes a campaign asking people to have more pulses, especially yellow peas.

States will be asked to pick up more wheat and rice.

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