Inflation to come down in coming months: PM

New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Wednesday expressed hope that inflation, which is
close to the double digit mark, will come down in the coming
months.
"Let us hope, it (inflation) will come down in the coming
months. I am not an astrologer," he told reporters here.
The overall inflation stood at 9.97 per cent in July and
the figure for the month of August is expected next week. The
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation has been over 10 per
cent for five straight months till June.
For the week ended August 21, food inflation stood at
10.86 per cent.
When asked about ONGC disinvestment, the Prime Minister
said, "it is an ongoing process. I don't know which company
will be divested. We have an able Finance Minister who is
dealing with the subject."
The government is aiming to mobilise Rs 40,000 crore from
disinvestment during the current fiscal.
On inflation, the Prime Minister had last month said that
the government is making every possible effort to control
"high inflation" and insulate poor from its adverse impact.
While addressing the National Development Council meeting
in July, Singh had said that inflation would come down to
around 6 per cent by December this year.
"I know that in the last few months high inflation has
caused you difficulties. It is the poor who are the worst
affected by rising prices, especially when the prices of
commodities of every day use like foodgrains, pulses,
vegetables increase."
"It is for this reason that we have endeavoured to
minimise the burden of increased prices on the poor," Singh
said while speaking on the 64th Independence Day.
The opposition BJP and the Left parties have attacked
the government over surging food prices. The Parliament was
disrupted for a week during the monsoon session on the issue.
After which an understanding was reached between the two sides
and a resolution was adopted in the two Houses asking the
government to take further steps to control price rise. PTI