Question : WPI AND INFLATION

(a) whether the Wholesale Price Index ( WPI) has constantly increasing during each of the last three financial years;

(b) if so, the break up of average annual rise in the rate of WPI during the above period;

(c) whether the rate of said rise has been more than three per cent against norm of R.B.I.;

(d) if so, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the rate of inflation based on WPI has declined to five year low in September, 2007;

(f) if so, the details and reasons therefor; and

(g) the steps taken by the Government to check the rising rate of WPI and inflation?

TO BE ANSWERED BY MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE (SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL)

(a) & (b) Sir, the details of average annual rise in WPI and monthly break up during the last five financial years is indicated in the Table 1.

Table. 1
Month	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Apr	6.59	4.51	5.91	3.86	6.28
May	6.51	5.02	5.55	4.73	5.46
Jun	5.40	6.68	4.32	5.12	4.53
Jul	4.65	7.61	4.29	4.83	4.71
Aug	3.95	8.46	3.66	5.12	4.14
Sep	4.90	7.92	4.06	5.38	3.32
Oct	5.13	7.27	4.71	5.51	3.02
Nov	5.42	7.52	4.21	5.50
Dec	5.80	6.73	4.45	5.68
Jan	6.50	5.54	4.08	6.37
Feb	6.14	5.01	4.03	6.36
Mar	4.78	5.39	3.85	6.61
Average	5.48	6.47	4.42	5.43