Modi could do more to curb India inflation: opinion poll

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has scored high on overall performance during his first three months in office, but many are disappointed with his new administration's efforts to bring down inflation, an opinion poll showed.

The poll conducted by Today's Chanakya, the only pollster that accurately predicted the scale of Modi's election victory in May, showed almost half of the respondents felt the Hindu nationalist leader could have taken more stringent steps to curb inflation.

Modi rose to power with promises of reviving India's flagging economy and reducing prices of essential commodities, but consumer price inflation touched a two-month high of nearly 8 percent in July while food price inflation neared double digits. 

More than two-thirds of those polled said

India's Narendra Modi launches bank accounts for all

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a plan to provide a bank account for every household, in a landmark initiative to help the poor.

Nearly 40% of Indians have little access to financial services and are often at the mercy of moneylenders who charge extortionate interest.

Mr Modi has told state and private banks to support the plan.

Correspondents say taking banking to the poor, who may have no identity papers, will be a challenge.

Reports say Mr Modi's government aims to provide bank accounts to