Cabinet may discuss price rise today

In the backdrop of the recent electoral debacles suffered by the ruling Congress in Assembly elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand and the local elections in Delhi, the Cabinet is expected to take a look at prices and availability of essential commodities in the country tomorrow.

It is expected to review a finance ministry's report on the price situation that has been submitted to the Prime Minister's Office, along with a proposal for the upgrade of around 10,000 km of national highways.

The Cabinet is also expected to decide on the price policy for raw jute for the current fiscal with an eye on reducing prices. Prices of jute hemp and mesta textiles have risen significantly in the recent past.

A decision to upgrade around 10,000 km of national highways under the National Highway Development Programme's (NHDP's) Phase III-A and III-B may also be taken. The upgrade will be on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

This will include the upgrade of 780 km of national highways in Bihar under NHDP Phase III-A, over and above the approved length of 4,035 km and NHDP III-A.

The Cabinet is also expected to clear a proposal for the upgrade of 7,294 km of roads under NHDP Phase III-B on a BOT basis.