CHENNAI: Opposition parties on Friday raised the issue of rising prices of essential commodities in the Assembly, prompting Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Venkataramanan to announce that the government would introduce fresh measures to control the price rise within three days.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin said prices of essential commodities had risen over the past three months since the new government assumed office. He said the increase had affected people, with many cutting down on their visits to grocery shops, and urged the government to take immediate steps to control prices.

AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said the previous AIADMK government had created a Price Stability Fund with an allocation of Rs 100 crore to check price fluctuations. He urged the government to adopt similar measures. Members of the PMK, CPI and CPM also raised concerns over the price rise.

Responding to the members, Minister Venkataramanan said the increase in prices of essential commodities was not confined to Tamil Nadu. The rise in petrol and diesel prices had also contributed to higher prices of essential commodities, he said. "The government is monitoring the prices of 41 essential commodities on a daily basis. The government will follow schemes implemented by previous governments to control the price rise," he said, assuring the House that fresh measures would be announced within three days.