Indian Inflation Rises to 7.61%

PUNE, 10 May 2008 — Though the latest figures released by the federal government yesterday confirmed the wholesale prices index-based inflation rose to 7.61 percent as against 7.57 percent last week, and there being no respite for the common man as the inflation soared to new heights, federal Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar yesterday sought to ally fears that the spurt in prices of food grains was linked to shortfall in crop production, stating the one big factor responsible could be the hike in the support prices for foodgrains that the federal government had declared.