New Delhi, Dec 20 : Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Sunday said state governments should take steps to protect its citizens against prise rise.

Addressing the NCP party convention here, Pawar said, " I would like to appeal to states government to take rising prices seriously."

"We have taken steps and trying our level best. Centre government has been taking burden of food subsidy. The Centre has not increased prices of food grains distributed through Public Distribution System (PDS) since 2002, but this is a burden on Centre so, I appeal to states to take this matter seriously," Pawar added.

He also said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has faced one of the worst droughts, which affected 312 districts across India. (ANI)