By Andalib Akhter
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today asserted that inflation was declining in the country continuously which is benefiting the poor. She said that the Wholesale price index has declined to 5.8 percent which is the lowest in the last 21 months.
Replying to a discussion on Supplementary Demand for Grants in Lok Sabha, she said that the government is keeping a close watch on the price situation of essential commodities. The Minister said that inflation was in double digits in earlier regimes but in November this year it reduced to 5.8 percent. She added that buffer stocks of pulses have been maintained for price stabilisation in the country.
The Minister reiterated that the Indian rupee is strengthening against other currencies. She said, the rupee is much stronger against the dollar than other countries’ currencies like South Korea’s Won, Japanese Yen, and Indonesian Rupiah.
Talking about the Supplementary Demand for Grants, the Finance Minister said that it is only eight percent of the current budget estimate and a major part of it, is for subsidies on fertilisers, Food, and public distribution and for Ujjawala consumers.