New Delhi: Country’s factory output rose marginally by 1.2 per cent in May, against a 1.3 per cent fall in the month before, even as annual retail inflation inched up marginally in June to 5.77 per cent.
As per data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Consumer Price Index (CPI), the annual food inflation for June moved up to 7.79 percent against 7.47 percent in May. In urban India, the annual food inflation was 8.16 per cent, against 7.61 per cent in rural areas.
With inflation remaining at an elevated level and above the 5 per cent mark, Reserve Bank's next monetary policy review in August would be keenly watched as inflation targeting has been the main objective of the apex bank.
The retail inflation measured on Consumer Price Index (CPI) was marginally lower at 5.76 per cent in the previous month, while it was 5.40 per cent in June last year. In August 2014, consumer inflation was at 7.8 per cent.
The overall food inflation moved up to 7.79 per cent in June from 7.47 per cent in the previous month, a government data showed today.
Inflation in vegetables was up at 14.74 per cent against 10.77 per cent in May and in cereals and related products was 3.07 per cent compared to 2.59 per cent in the previous month.
However, the rate of price rise in pulses declined to 26.86 per cent during the month while it stood at 31.57 per cent in May.
Protein rich items, like meat, fish, eggs, milk saw a marginal decline in comparison to May.
Inflation in fuel and light basket was 2.92 per cent in June as against 2.94 per cent in the previous month.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation collects data from selected towns and villages to calculate CPI-based retail inflation.
In its bi-monthly policy released last month, RBI had maintained status quo in key policy rate citing higher upside risks to 'inflation trajectory'.
The retail inflation in rural areas was at 6.2 per cent and in urban areas it was 5.26 per cent in June, showed the data.
With PTI Inputs
