How the govt plans to tackle soaring food prices

Spiralling food prices, on the back of one of the weakest monsoons in many years, and the average Indian has a big problem to worry about! Sample this: sugar prices have more than doubled in the past year as production levels declined heavily, courtesy the drought. Below average monsoon in the country this year resulted in the kharif sowing season taking a huge knock. India's monsoon this year was 23% below average — the worst since 1973.

Government data released Thursday showed the country’s food price index was up 13.39% from 12 months ago even as the parameter for overall inflation, the wholesale price index (WPI) (which also factors in other items like manufactured products and commodities like fuel), stands at 1.51%, according to latest figures, but is steadily rising.