New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday said that rising prices of essential commodities was a 'national problem' and it needed to be dealt by the central government.

'It is a major national problem. States cannot be blamed for it,' Patnaik told reporters on the sidelines of a conference of chief ministers here to tackling soaring food prices.

'It is a macro problem. It has to be dealt by the centre,' he said. The chief minister demanded that the allocation of food under the Public Distribution System should be enhanced.