New Delhi: The annual rate of inflation based on wholesale price index stood at 3.07 percent in April compared to 3.18 percent in March, the government said on Tuesday.
It was 3.62 percent in April last year, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The official wholesale price index for all commodities (base: 2011-12=100) for April 2019 rose by 0.8 percent to 120.9.
Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.75 percent compared to a build-up rate of 0.86 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.
The index for primary articles group (with weight of 22.6 percent) rose by 3.3 percent to 139.2 from 134.7 for March.
Under this, the index for food articles group rose by 3.4 per cent due to higher price of tea by 15 percent, fruits and vegetables by 14 per cent, peas and Chawla by 6 per cent, maize by 5 per cent, poultry chicken by 4 per cent, arhar, bajra and pork by 3 per cent each), gram, condiments and spices by 2 per cent each, Masur, urad, mutton and rajma by 1 per cent each.
However, prices of egg declined by 6 percent, betel leaves by 4 percent, barley, and wheat by 3 percent each), beef and buffalo meat by 1 percent each.
The index for non-food articles’ group rose by 2.6 percent to 126.7 from 123.5 during March.
The index for fuel and power group (with the weight of over 13 percent) declined by 0.5 percent to 102.8 from 103.3 in March. The index for mineral oils’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 95.4 from 95 in March due to higher price of LPG by 5 percent, naphtha by 3 percent, petrol, and kerosene 2 percent each and ATF 1 percent.
However, the price of petroleum coke declined by 3 percent, furnace oil 2 percent and HSD 1 percent.
The index for electricity group declined by 3.1 percent to 107.3 from 110.7 for March due to lower price of
electricity by 3 percent.
On Monday, the government said consumer inflation picked up to 2.92 percent in April as against 2.86 per cent in March. However, it remained within the 4 percent comfort zone of Reserve Bank of India.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]