Inflation further eases down to 5.7 per cent

New Delhi, Apr 13: The annual rate of inflation further came down to 5.74 per cent for the week ended March 31, from 6.39 per cent for the last week.

The headline inflation calculated on a point-to-point basis stood at 3.98 per cent during the corresponding week a year ago, official data showed here today.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram said this week that improving supply side constraints along with monetary and fiscal steps would help in moderating inflation.

''If the supply side improves together with monetary and fiscal steps, inflation will moderate'' Mr Chidambaram said.

Yesterday, the Government in its Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting gave its approval to the import of 1.5 mmt pulses through public sector agencies to stabilise the prices in the market.

The index for Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants group rose by 0.2 per cent to 320.1 from 319.5 for the previous week due to higher prices of naphtha (3 per cent) and furnace oil (1 per cent). The index for Manufactured Products group remain unchanged at its previous week's level of 183.4. The index for Food Products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 186.6 from 186.7 for the previous week due to lower prices of coconut oil (3 per cent).

The index for Textiles group rose by 0.2 per cent to 133.4 from 133.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of synthetic yarn (4 per cent) and hessian cloth (2 per cent).

However, the prices of hessian and sacking bags (5 per cent) declined.

The index for Paper and Paper Products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 192.5 from 192.6 for the previous week due to lower prices of pulp (1 per cent).

The index for Chemicals and Chemicals Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 197.5 from 197.3 for the previous week due to higher prices of medical X-ray films (12 per cent) and carbon black (6 per cent).

The index for Non-Metallic Mineral Products group declined by 0.5 per cent to 201.6 from 202.6 for the previous week due to lower prices of building bricks (2 per cent) and cement (1 per cent).

The index for Basic Alloys and Metal Products group declined marginally to 241.7 from 241.8 for the previous week due to lower prices of zinc and zinc ingots (2 per cent each) and lead ingots (1 per cent).

The index for Machinery and Machine Tools group rose by 0.1 per cent to 162.1 from 161.9 for the previous week due to higher prices of electrical generators (2 per cent).

The index for Transport Equipment and parts group rose by 0.2 per cent to 163.5 from 163.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of automobile cables (21 per cent).

UNI