More steps on cards to ease inflation: Govt

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A day after banning futures trade in four food commodities and persuading steel producers to slash prices, the government on Thursday said more measures were in the offing to curb inflation, which should ease in 8 weeks.

"Government is not helpless and has means to ensure prices are brought down. More measures - both administrative and fiscal - are in the offing to control inflation," Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar said.

He said iron ore, steel and cement would continue to remain under the government scanner.

He said a series of calibrated measures would ensure that inflation is brought down by at least one percentage point in the next two months.

Prices of wheat, rice and edible oils have already come down between March 1 and May 6, Kumar said. Wheat prices have declined by 1.6 per cent, wheat by 9.1 per cent and edible oil by over 18 per cent, he said.

The government on Wednesday suspended futures trading in gram, refined soya, potato and rubber for four months - a move aimed at arresting speculation-driven price rise to cool inflation that is over 7.5 per cent now.