New Delhi, Dec 18 (Inditop.com) Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Friday said that containing the rising inflation was high on the government’s agenda and that it was closely monitoring the price situation.
“The government is monitoring the price situation on a regular basis and containing the rising inflation is high on its agenda,” Mukherjee said, and attributed the rising prices to supply shortages.
The country’s annual food inflation, based on wholesale prices, moved up to 19.95 percent for the week ended Dec 5 from 19.05 percent the week before, as per official data released Thursday.
The rise in prices over a 52-week period of some essential food items like potatoes was 136.39 percent, vegetables (41.09 percent), pulses( 40.81 percent), onions (15.42 percent), wheat (13.91 percent), rice (12.7 percent) and fruits (10.93 percent).
Opposition parties had stalled parliamentary proceedings Wednesday over spiralling food prices, resulting in the adjournment of the lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha for the day.
