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

Interim Budget-FY25 proposed to spend over Rs 43 crore for strengthening price monitoring cells at Centre and states

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

By tracking the retail and