<div>India will announce many new measures in the next few days and weeks to curb non-essential imports in order to strengthen the rupee and contain inflation, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said on Saturday.</div><div> </div><div>The government has already banned duty-free import of flat-screen televisions from August 26, adding to a package of measures designed to prop up the rupee.</div><div> </div><div>"I hope that all these measures taken together will have a beneficial impact on inflation," Chidambaram told lawmakers.</div><div> </div><div>He added that no decision has been taken to raise fuel prices.</div><div> </div><div>Government officials said on Friday, 6 September, that India may announce more measures to curb fuel consumption later this month and raise diesel prices by close to 10 percent soon in a bid to cut the biggest item in its import bill and support the rupee.</div><div> </div><div>(Reuters)</div>
