New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has expressed the hope that the food prices will be stabilised soon. Addressing a meeting of the Chief Ministers in New Delhi today the Prime Minister assured that food security will not be compromised in any way.

He said, that there are comfortable levels of food stocks. Dr. Singh said, several steps have been taken to augment the Kharif output despite the failure of monsoons and the Rabi propects are also encouraging. While calling upon the States to work together with the Centre to bring prices under control, the Prime Minister said the States must ensure that food items released by the Centre reach the people.

He said that the public distribution system is hopelessly outdated and needs to be overhauled. He said that focussed attention should be paid by the States on the development of the market intervention mechanism which can act as a supplement to the public Distribution system.

He regretted that the lifting of wheat and rice by the states has not been encouraging. He also wanted the States to strengthen the Civil Supply Corporation. Laying emphasis on increasing the per hectare yield of foodgrains as a long term strategy, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the States have not paid much attention to this and there is a need for strengthening the agriculture extension services .

He said that recently the government has released 25 lakh tonnes of wheat and 10 lakh tonnes of rice. The Prime Minister said that despite the global meltdown, the growth in the current fiscal is expected to be 7.5 percent. While admitting that the government has been less successful on the food inflation front, Dr. Singh said that it has been able to protect the inclusiveness of the growth process.