New Delhi, Apr 15 (Reporter) The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation increased marginally to 0.53 per cent for the month of March 2024 over same month last year, as per provisional per data released by the Government, primarily due to increase in prices of food articles, electricity, crude petroleum & natural gas, machinery & equipment and other manufacturing etc. The month over month change in WPI index for the month of March, 2024 stood at 0.40 per cent as compared to February, 2024. The index for Primary Articles carrying weight of 22.62 per cent in the WPI, rose by 0.94 per cent to 183.1 (provisional) in March, 2024 from 181.4 (provisional) for the month of February, 2024. Prices of Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas (1.35 per cent), Food Articles (1.0 per cent), Minerals (0.58 per cent) and Non-food Articles (0.44 per cent) increased in March, 2024 as compared to February, 2024. The index for Manufactured Products (Weight 64.23 per cent) increased by 0.21 per cent to 140.1 (provisional) in March, 2024 from 139.8 (provisional) for the month of February, 2024. Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for manufactured products, 11 groups witnessed an increase in prices, 9 groups witnessed a decrease in prices and 2 groups showed no change in prices. Some of the important groups that showed month-over-month increase in prices are food products; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; rubber and plastics products; other manufacturing; chemicals and chemical products etc. Some of the groups that witnessed a decrease in prices are fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; basic metals; pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products; textiles; wearing apparel etc. in March, 2024 as compared to February, 2024...////...