Consumers Price Index increases by 6 pts

The increase in the indices, which track the prices of goods consumed by agricultural and rural labourers and act as measure of inflation, was mainly due to rise in rates of rice, wheat flour, masur dal, milk, vegetables and fruits, jaggery, bidi (Indian cigar), cigarette, country liquor, firewood and shirtings.     

Inflation based on CPI-AL and CPI-RL increased from 7.91 per cent and 7.63 per cent, respectively, in March to 8.88 per cent and 8.61 per cent in April this year.

 

Respective rates for April 2007 were 9.44 per cent and 9.12 per cent.     

In case of agricultural labourers, seven states reflected 7 to 11 points increase in the index, 10 states between three and six points and three states between one and two points.

Punjab at 465 points topped the index table and Manipur was at the bottom with 373 points.     

The index for rural labourers rose seven to 10 points in 10 states, between three and six points in seven states and between one and two points in three states. No state experienced decrease in the indices during April.