Finance minister P Chidambaram today said the customs duty cut announced on cement, metal and infrastructure project imports announced in Tuesday and a range of edible oils announced yesterday had been advanced to curb the high inflation.

Wholesale price inflation for the week to 6 January had reached 6.12 per cent. Today's figures for the week 13 January had shown a mild retraction to 5.95 per cent.

"We would have anyway done it on February 28 ... having regard to inflation we advanced it," Chidambaram said here at the sidelines of a meeting to review performance of regional rural banks.