Though negative inflation was being widely expected in the ongoing month, the data for the week ended April 18 depict a 0.57 percent increase in the inflation, marking the second consecutive week-over-week rise. While the week before, inflation stood at 0.26 percent, the current figures still remained close to a 30-year low, and were comparatively much better than the year-before figure of 8.23 percent.

The rise in inflation, resulting largely from the increase in prices of essential food products, along with an increase in some fuels and manufactured products, validates the RBI’s precautious approach in easing money supply.

Talking about the inflation figures of the aforementioned week, Suresh Tendulkar – Chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council – said: “The increase in inflation over the previous week is due to food prices, which have been showing some rise and the rise was expected.”

Though on a weekly basis, food articles found in raw form jumped 0.6 percent, they happened to be 7.39 percent more expensive than the earlier year prices. The week-on-week prices of manufactured food items also increased 1.9 percent during the recent week.

Nonetheless, the rising food prices appear to have taken the backseat during the current Lok Sabha elections, with the political parties seemingly more focused on issues like Bofors, terror, and Gujarat’s Godhra riots.