Inflation declines marginally to 4.91 per cent

New Delhi, Sep 3 (UNI) The annual rate of inflation has declined marginally by 0.01 per cent to 4.91 per cent for the week ended August 19, as compared to 4.92 per cent the previous week, owing to lower manufactured products and fuel prices.

The inflation rate, calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 3.71 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here.

The government is taking steps to contain the inflation rate below five per cent in the financial year 2006-07.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended August 19, 2006, rose by 0.2 per cent to 205.1 from 204.7 last week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.7 per cent to 205.0 from 203.6 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.7 per cent to 206.2 from 204.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of fruits and vegetables and wheat (2 per cent each) and gram, milk, condiments and spices, bajra and maize (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of poultry chicken (9 per cent) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group rose by 0.6 per cent to 185.9 from 184.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of raw cotton (4 per cent), copra (2 per cent) and rape and mustard seed (1 per cent).

However, the prices of raw rubber (3 per cent), cotton seed and castor seed (2 per cent) and gingelly seed (1 per cent) declined.

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