Speaking at the All India Congress Committee meeting on the concluding day of the 'Chintan Shivir' here, he said the main reason for hike was rising international prices of crude oil.
He said another factor was a hike in minimum support price of crops by the government for the benefit of farmers.
"The main reason has been an increase in international prices of petroleum products. Second, the prices of crops had been raised substantially for the benefit of farmers," he said.
There was a need to take solid steps to deal with price rise in 2013-14, he said.