The annual rate of inflation increased 0. 43 per cent to touch 5.56 per cent for the week ended March 15, compared to 5.13 per cent during the previous week. The inflation rate was 1.63 per cent in the corresponding period of 2002.
The wholesale price index for all commodities rose 0.4 per cent to 170.8 for the week ended March 15, as against 170.2 for the previous week.
For the week ended January 18, the final wholesale price index and inflation rate remain unchanged at their provisional levels of 167.9 and 4.42 per cent, respectively.
The index for primary articles rose 0.4 per cent to 178.4 for the week ended March 15. The index was 177.7 a week ago.
The index for food articles rose 0.4 per cent to 179.7 from 178.9 due to higher prices of fruits and vegetables (3 per cent), bajra, barley, gram and mutton (2 per cent each) and moong (1 per cent).
The index of the non-food articles
