Annual rate of inflation down to 3.24 per cent

New Delhi, Apr 21: The annual rate of inflation fell to 3.24 per cent for the week ended April 8, as against 3.51 per cent during the previous week due to cheaper food items, textiles and rubber products.

The inflation rate, calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 5.86 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here today.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended April 8, went down by 0.1 per cent to 197.6 from 197.7 for the previous week.

The rate is in line with market expectations after Finance Minister P Chidambaram earlier indicated that inflation would be around 3.96 per cent.

India's inflation is running below the Reserve Bank of India's projection for 5-5.5 per cent at the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2006.

UNI