Agriculture ministry has nothing to do with price rise: Pawar

Under attack for his recent observations on price rise, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today wondered as to how his Ministry could be linked with the issue.

"I do not understand how Ministry of Agriculture is concerned with price level. It is supposed to concentrate on agriculture produce," he said talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function here.

Pawar, reacting to the criticism over his statements in respect of sugar and milk prices, said for the first time in last 40 years he had come across such linking of price level with the agriculture ministry.

He said the ministry had taken care of the role assigned to it and made provisions of necessary food stock of wheat and rice despite drought-like situation in 312 districts in the country.