Prime Minister Manmohan Singh  asked state governments to launch a crackdown on corruption and inflation, which he identified as two of the biggest challenges the country faces today. Octroi and local taxes could be waived to bring down costs of essential commodities, he suggested.

Speaking at the annual meeting of chief secretaries of states, Singh said inflation posed a “serious threat to the growth momentum”.

“Inflation is something which needs to be tackled with great urgency. The lasting solution for food price inflation lies in increasing agricultural productivity and production not only of cereals but also of pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and fruits and augmenting the supply of milk and milk products, poultry, meat and fish. There is need for a paradigm shift in our institutional arrangements for improving availability of various commodities to meet higher levels of domestic consumption,” he said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was today discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he underwent redo bypass heart surgery on January 24.

Singh’s illness came as his Congress party prepares its campaign for a month-long general election likely to begin in early April.

Doctors operated on the 76-year-old leader on Jan. 24 after they found blockages in his arteries during a health check up.

“It’s going to take him about two-three weeks to come to office and work. In fact in a week’s time he is going to start working from home,” federal Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said.

“He was very cheerful, in fact he was walking.”
The Prime Minister left for home at 7 Race Course Road today at 0750 hrs.

Pre-discharge tests were conducted on the Prime Minister yesterday and his discharge today was certain.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have reached Ahmedabad to assess the situation on the ground in the wake of serial blasts that rocked the city killing 49 people.

The Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi visited the injured undergoing treatment at LG Hospital, Civil Hospital and Sarabhai Hospital.

They were accompanied by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and senior State Government officials received the three dignitaries from Delhi on Monday afternoon, two days after more than 16 bombs devastated parts of East Ahmedabad, causing grief, shock and panic among its residents and damaging property.

Dr. Singh, Mrs. Gandhi and Home Minister Patil also visited Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, which took the brunt of the blasts, to commiserate with the survivors of the tragedy. The medical staff briefed them about the number of injured that were being treated. In atmosphere that was still reverberating with grief and emotion, the three commended the medical staff for their efforts, and instructed them to provide all necessary facilities to the injured.

They also visited the LG Hospital where the injured had been admitted.