The Ministry of Finance said inflation on a week-to-week basis has continued to remain stable. It went on to highlight the fact that in the primary articles’ group, out of a total of 98 articles, 18 articles have shown a decline in prices as compared with the previous week. Similarly, in manufactured goods, out of a total 318 commodities, 299 showed no increase in prices over the last week while the prices of 14 others declined. Also, the annual inflation rate for the group of 30 essential commodities at 6.66 per cent was marginally lower than the inflation of 6.67 per cent in the previous week.

Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that inflation was expected to come down to single-digit levels by the end of this fiscal, that is, by March-April next year. Though a lot will depend on external factors such as the possibility of another surge in crude oil prices, analysts are also of the view that the worst of inflation is almost over.

55 per cent Estimated total urban income generated by these twenty cities alone

45 per cent Estimated share of total urban expenditure by megacities alone

$100 bn Estimated consumption expenditure in 2007-08 by the 20 cities

31 per cent The share of the 20 cities in India’s total disposable income, even though they account for only 10 per cent of India's population