AICPIN for the month of March 2013

Consumer price index numbers for industrial workers (CPI-IW) March 2013

According to a press release issued today by the Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour & Employment the All-India CPI-IW for March, 2013 rose by 1 point and pegged at 224 (two hundred and twenty four). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.45 per cent between February and March compared with 1.01 per cent between the same two months a year ago.

The largest upward contribution to the change in current index came from Food group which increased by 0.84 per cent, contributing 0.82 percentage points to the total change. This was followed by Miscellaneous group with 0.53 per cent increase contributing 0.26 percentage points to the change. At item level, largest upward pressure came from Rice, Wheat & Wheat Atta, Fish Fresh, Goat Meat, Vegetable Green & non-Leafy, Apple, Tea (Readymade), Firewood, Medicine (Allopathic), Private Tuition Fee, Bus Fare, Petrol, etc. However, this was compensated by Mustard Oil, Eggs (Hen), Poultry (Chicken), Onion, Potato and Sugar putting downward pressure on the index.

The year-on-year inflation measured by monthly CPI-IW stood at 11.44 per cent for February, 2013 as compared to 12.06 per cent for the previous month and 8.65 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. Similarly, the Food inflation stood at 13.21 per cent against 14.98 per cent of the previous month and 8.16 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year.

At centre level, Salem recorded the largest increase of 7 points followed by Sholapur and Quilon (6 points each). Among others, 5 points rise was registered in 4 centres, 4 points in 2 centres, 3 points in 4 centres, 2 points in 12 centres and 1 point in 18 centres. On the contrary, a decline of 2 points was reported in Jharia, Chennai, Siliguri, Mariani-Jorhat, Asansol and Kodarma and 1 point in 10 centres. Rest of the 19 centres’ indices remained stationary.

The indices of 34 centres are above All-India Index and other 43 centres’ indices are below national average. The index of Ajmer centre remained at par with all-India index. The next index of CPI-IW for the month of April, 2013 will be released on Friday, 31 May, 2013. The same will also be available on the office website www.labourbureau.gov.in.

-PIB