Inflation rose for the fifth consecutive week to 5.89 per cent during the week ended June 12, mainly due to rise in prices of fruits and vegetables, tea, eggs, minerals and manufactured products.
Notwithstanding United Progressive Alliance government's promise to keep the prices of essential commodities down, the inflation based on Wholesale Price Index surged by 0.34 per cent from 5.55 per cent in the previous week and 4.97 a year ago.
Economists say inflation is set to go up further as fuel prices went up following the government's decision to hike petrol prices by Rs 2 a litre, diesel prices by Rs 1 per litre and that of cooking gas by Rs 20 per cylinder on June 15.