

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to take effective measures to control the prices of essential commodities in Andhra Pradesh.
Reviewing the performance of various departments on Wednesday, the Chief Minister, while observing that the impact of El Nino was contributing to rising prices across the country, stressed the need to ensure that price increases should not burden the common people.
He directed officials to closely monitor the prices of rice, red gram, onions, cooking oil and sugar. Naidu enquired about the sale of government-supplied rice through Rythu Bazaars. Officials informed him that the initiative had received a positive response from consumers and that sales were encouraging.
He suggested exploring the possibility of making fine-quality rice available at affordable prices through Rythu Bazaars during major festivals such as Deepavali and Sankranti. He also called for increased onion supplies to prevent shortages and ensure that consumers did not face hardship due to price fluctuations.
The Chief Minister directed officials to take all necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply in State.