Inflation  rises to 7.33 per cent for the week ended April 12 from 7.14 per cent in the previous week.

Inflation rate grew by a faster 7.33 per cent in the week ended April 12 from 7.14 per cent in the previous week, on higher prices of food items, including jaggery and fish.

The price rise is expected to prompt Reserve Bank of India [Get Quote] to further tighten money supply in its annual credit policy slated to be announced on April 29.

RBI has already increased CRR, the mandatory amount that banks keep with the central bank, by 0.5 per cent to check money supply. The hike will come into effect in two tranches on April 26 and May 10.

The annual rate of inflation, which dipped from a 40-month high of 7.41 per cent to 7.14 for week ended April 5, again rose despite a host of measures announced by the government to control prices. Inflation for the corresponding period last year was at 6.34 per cent.

The prices of certain essential commodities like vegetables, cereals, pulses and edible oils, however, softened during the week.

The average rate of inflation, according to the official data, worked out to be 4.51 per cent during 2007-08 as compared to 5.42 per cent in the previous fiscal.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Left Parties met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday and demanded immediate steps to check prices.

Inflation figures for the week ended February 16 was revised from the provisional 4.89 per cent to 5.66 per cent.

• Inflation, the silent killer