National   

Inflation will be brought down: Jaswant

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 21. The Union Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, said today that inflation in the economy had peaked and that he was confident of bringing it down to the 4-4.5 per cent level by March-end as projected by the Reserve Bank of India. Inflation had reached 6.09 per cent in the first week of January this year.

Talking to the media here today, Mr. Singh said inflationary pressures had built up on account of cyclic factors and the increase was mainly due to the rise in the prices of petrol and diesel. However, the Indian economy had the ability to absorb the impact of increased global oil prices, he added.

Mr. Singh refused to comment on the stock market crash today, which was attributed to reports that the Securities and Exchange Board of India would look into the large inflow of foreign financial institutional funds into the Indian capital markets in recent weeks. "I don't comment on stock exchanges," he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• `World Bank policies promote globalisation'
• System for electronic filing of returns launched
• Liberhan panel deprived of crucial investigative staff
• Decision on sops unethical: Congress
• BJP CMs for change in environment laws
• Oil cess planned to fund strategic reserves
• Music, march and message as WSF meet ends
• Fresh snow, rain cripple North
• `Infiltration is still on'
• Bardhan wants secular front to spell out `vision of India'
• Inflation will be brought down: Jaswant
• `Krishi' channel launched
• PM stumped for a moment
• Task force report soon on bio-diesel
• Conference asks soft drink MNCs to end water exploitation
• Congress disputes Sangma claim
• M. Arunachalam dead
• Ashok Chakra award for Special Forces commando
• Political activism grows younger
• Court dismisses pleas against Advani, Singhal
• Correction
• Rajya Sabha to meet on January 30
• CBI files Interpol report

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu