Persistent inflation a cause of concern, says PM

New Delhi: Admitting that persistent inflation, especially in the food sector, is a cause of concern, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasised on increasing the country's agricultural production to enhance food security. "We have to make a concerted effort to enhance our food security... Our economy has been in reasonably good shape in the past seven years. We have achieved an impressive rate of growth, which we were able to sustain even in the midst of the worst global financial crisis of recent times. "However, during the past year and a half, persistent inflation, especially in the food sector, has become a cause of concern," Singh said at the inauguration of Civil Services Day here. The government's consistent policy has been to control inflation without hurting growth, Singh said, emphasising that "we have strived for a delicate and difficult balance to achieve this.