NEW DELHI, Mar 16: India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 2.13 per cent in February on a year-on-year basis, up from 1.81 per cent recorded in January, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
However, on a month-on-month basis, the WPI inflation rate slipped to 0.25 per cent in February.
The ministry said the positive rate of inflation during the month was mainly driven by rising prices of other manufacturing items, basic metals, non-food articles, food articles and textiles.
Among the major categories, manufactured products — which carry the highest weight in the WPI basket — recorded an annual inflation rate of 2.92 per cent in February.
Inflation in primary articles also increased sharply to 3.27 per cent compared to 2.21 per cent in January.
The fuel and power segment, however, continued to remain in deflation, registering a decline of 3.78 per cent, though the contraction was slightly lower than the 4.01 per cent recorded in January.
Meanwhile, the WPI food index, which includes food articles and food products, rose by 1.85 per cent on a yearly basis.
The rise in wholesale inflation broadly mirrors the trend in retail prices. India’s retail inflation, measured through the Consumer Price Index, increased to 3.21 per cent in February from 2.74 per cent in January. (Agencies)
