Government today asserted that moderate inflation with impressive growth is its objective. Replying to a debate on Price Rise in the Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee dismissed the opposition's charge that inflation is due to high growth rate. He elaborated that it is the result of mismatch between demand and supply. Mr Mukherjee said that India needs to create more investment opportunities and generate more employment and this can be done with active cooperation from the Opposition. The Finance Minister said that the hike in the crude oil prices is a global phenomenon and the government has no control over it. He however said that the recent hike in the prices of diesel and cooking gas is marginal keeping in view the global prices. The Finance Minister was speaking in the House when the reports last came in. AIR Parliamentary Correspondent reports that Opposition BJP urged the Government that if growth is at the cost of inflation, such growth is not required. The Ruling members on the other hand, highlighted the measures and achievements on the price front while strongly defending the Government. They maintained agriculture recorded an impressive growth of 6.6 percent and whole sale price index has reduced to 9.44 percent. Food Inflation has come down to 8.4 percent from 20 percent in February 2010. Apart from this Government has provided fifty lakh tones of food grains to people living above poverty line.