On table: Eye on prices of 16 more food items to protect 'garib kithali'

In response to escalating food inflation, the central government is planning to add 16 new commodities to its price monitoring list, increasing the total to 38, said people in the know.

-  AKSHARA SRIVASTAVA & SANJEEB MUKHERJEE

In response to escalating food inflation, the central government is planning to add 16 new commodities to its price monitoring list, increasing the total to 38, said people in the know.

This move aligns with the Bharatiya Janata Party's 2024 manifesto pledge to protect "garib ki thali" as part of its commitment to the country's poorer families.

The expansion of price-monitored items is likely to be included in the new government's 100-day agenda, currently under discussion in various forums, the sources said.

TO KEEP PULSE ON PRICE

• Price monitoring cell under Department of Consumer Affairs was set up in 1998 to keep an eye on essential commodities and help policy recommendations regarding price and availability of such items

• It initially collected price information for 14 items from 18 centres

• This basket was later expanded to 22 items; data was collected from 167 centres

• Many price data points are now collected via mobile apps

The majority of the 16 new commodities are expected to be vegetables, given their volatile prices.

By tracking the retail and wholesale prices of a larger number of essential commodities, the government aims to better understand price movements and manage them through existing intervention programmes.

Predictable policy likely for response to price volatility

Norms on unsolicited commercial calls may be out in first 100 days