Costlier food articles push inflation to 5.32 pc

New Delhi, Dec 24 (UNI) Inspite of the government's claims to take pre-emptive action to contain rising prices, the annual inflation rate rose to 5.32 per cent for the week ended December 9 from 5.16 per cent the previous week due to an increase in food prices.

The inflation rate calculated on a point-to-point basis, stood at 4.39 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram last week said the government will take pre-emptive action to contain rising prices.

''We have to be ahead of developments and take pre-emptive action, rather than fall back and take corrective action,'' he said.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended December 9, declined by 0.05 per cent to 207.7 from 207.8 for the previous week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.1 per cent to 212.1 from 211.9 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.05 per cent to 214.1 from 214.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of fruits and vegetables (1 per cent) and jowar (4 per cent).

However, the prices of urad (4 per cent), fish-marine (3 per cent), arhar and eggs (2 per cent each) and moong and gram (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group rose by 0.1 per cent to 190.0 from 189.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of raw rubber (5 per cent), niger seed and raw jute (1 per cent each).

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

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