Inflation shoots up to 8.29%

The rate of inflation based on consumer price index for industrial workers (CPI-IW) (base: 1982 = 100) also increased to 3.48 per cent during December from 2.47 per cent in the previous month and 0.47 per cent a year ago. Although prices of fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged, prices of primary items rose by 0.2 per cent while manufactured products’ prices were up by 0.1 per cent during the week.

The index for primary articles increased to 161.7 from previous week’s level of 161.3, due to a sharp one per cent rise in prices of non-food articles. The index was 155.2 a year ago. Although the index for food articles group remained unchanged, prices increased for barley and arhar (three per cent each), jowar and mutton (two per cent each), condiments and spices (one per cent).