New Delhi, February 3
Food inflation jumped to 17.05 per cent in the third week of January, prompting the government to take stock of the price situation at the highest level.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with his senior Cabinet colleagues reviewed price situation as food inflation soared by 1.48 percentage points for the week ended January 22, driven by high prices of vegetables, fruits, milk and eggs.

Although the outcome of the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Prices could not be known, it is learnt that issues concerning rising prices of milk and other essential food items figured prominently during the deliberations.

Describing the price situation as matter of "grave concern", Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that efforts were being made to tame inflation by addressing demand and supply side issues. “Price rise always, particularly, the commodity price and food items are matter of grave concern,” the minister said. — PTI