The All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for industrial workers increased by 2 points in March at 201.
The point-to-point rate of inflation for March shot up to 8.65 per cent against 7.57 per cent in February.
Inflation based on the food index also zoomed to 8.16 per cent in March compared with 5.08 per cent in February 2012. The index was calculated on base 2001=100.
Among the six key centres, the CPI for industrial workers was the highest in Bangalore at 206, followed by Mumbai at 204, Ahmedabad at 201, Kolkata at 190, Chennai at 187 and Delhi at 185, according to a Labour Ministry release.
The maximum increase of seven points each in Bhilwara, Vijaywada and Salem centres was mainly due to the increase in prices of rice, wheat, groundnut oil, poultry, vegetable & fruit, beedi, cigarette, cotton dhoti, saree (synthetic), etc.
The increase of six points each in Belgaum, Ajmer, Ghaziabad and Mundakkayam centres was due to rise in the prices of rice, wheat, jowar, groundnut oil, milk etc.
The decrease of two points in Tripura was due to fall in the prices of rice, wheat atta , fish, onion, vegetables.
aditi.n@thehindu.co.in