Directions: The question has a set of four sequentially ordered statements; each statement can be classified as one of the following: Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are pen the discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statements with an 'F') Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with an 'I'). Judgments, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations, and occurrences in the past, the present, or the future (the answer option indicates such as statement with a 'J') Select the answer option that best describes the set of four statements.
- Inflation has become a hot potato; the inflation rate based on wholesale price index has stayed above 6.5 percent, against the 5.5 percent inflation target of RBI for 2007-08 and despite a slew of fiscal and monetary measures announced by the government.
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in its latest annual report, emphasized that agricultural stagnation is a key to structural challenge in India and rising food prices have been significant contributors to inflation.
- Food production in India has stagnated over the last several years, a shortage of pulses resulted in prices soaring almost 30 percent, the international wheat prices rose unto 50 percent as there was a drought in Australia, Canada and USA.
- The central government has banned future trading in agricultural produce, and the RBI governor has expressed hope that the WPI inflation rate gradually will stabilize with the fiscal measures.