Page 2 - Cpi

CPI base year revision for agri and rural workers may push up minimum wages

Unaware of recent Delhi govt decision to hike minimum wages in the national capital, Lal and his fellow workers continue to receive same wage as three years ago when they started working in unit

RBI may effect cumulative rate cut of 125-150 bps in FY26, says SBI study

The Reserve Bank may cumulatively cut the key interest rate in the range of 125-150 basis points this fiscal amid benign inflationary patterns, an SBI Research report said on Monday. The study suggested that the central bank should go for "jumbo" rate cuts of 50 bps as it would be more effective. The sharp moderation in consumer price index based inflation, hitting a 67-month low of 3.34 per cent in March 2025 due to sharp correction in food inflation, bodes well for lowering the average CPI headline forecast for FY2025-26 below 4 per cent now (with below 3 pre cent in Q1FY26), the report said. The nominal GDP growth is expected to be in the range of 9-9.5 per cent for FY2025-26 (Budget: 10 per cent), signifying a Goldilocks period to slash the policy rates given the low growth and low inflation, said the research report from the State Bank of India's Economic Research Department titled 'Inflation and Rate Cut Trajectory'. "With multi-year low inflation in March and benign inflatio

Retail inflation eases to 3.34% in March, lowest since August 2019

March food inflation fell to 2.69% in March from 3.75% in February -- the lowest level since November 2021

RBI's growth outlook is optimistic amid global concerns; see 50bps more cut

We expect the GDP growth to print at 6.2 per cent in FY26, marginally below the 6.3 per cent projected by us for FY25, said Aditi Nayar of Icra

New CPI series from February 2026 to include rural housing inflation

The new CPI series with an updated base year is slated to come into effect in February 2026, along with a new series for other macro indicators like GDP and IIP

CPI(M) aiming to recover WB base, unite Left forces against TMC, BJP: Karat

The CPI(M) is aiming to recover its base in West Bengal and will try to bring together "Left and democratic forces" against both the TMC and the BJP, party leader Prakash Karat has said. He added that no discussions had been held on whether the Left Front and the Congress would contest the assembly polls, due in 2026, in an alliance. In an interview with PTI, the CPI(M) interim coordinator stressed that the party losing ground in West Bengal was a major reason behind its declining electoral strength. The CPI(M) is focusing on working among the rural poor to regain its traditional support base, Karat said. Asked about the party's standing in West Bengal, which the CPI(M)-led Left Front governed for 34 years between 1977 and 2011 before losing to the TMC, the veteran leader highlighted the recent mobilisations of youngsters, including during the protests against the RG Kar rape and murder incident. "I am not talking only about our party but all Left and progressive forces (that) cam

India's retail inflation eases to 7-month low of 3.61% in February

Industrial output picks up at 5 per cent in January 2025 from 3.2 per cent in December

Jan retail inflation eases to 4.31%, industrial output grows 3.2% in Dec

January 2025 CPI-based inflation: Food inflation fell to 6.02 per cent in January 2025, the lowest since August 2024

Kerala MP raises concerns of Indians in GCC in RS, seeks inclusive policy

P Sandosh Kumar, CPI MP from Kerala, raised the challenges being faced by the Indians residing in six countries under the Gulf Cooperative Council and demanded a comprehensive policy on workers going abroad in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Raising the issues during the Question Hour, Kumar said that the GCC, which consists of six countries in the Middle East, has a very huge Indian population and there is an urgent need for a comprehensive and pragmatic policy for them as they are contributing immensely to strengthen the Indian economy. According to Kumar, Indians living in GCC countries are 93,72,076 as per the answer furnished by the government in the House in December last year and out of these, 27 per cent are from Kerala. Pointing out some major issues, he said that airfare hikes, especially during the season, have become a menace for the Parvaasi community. "This has become a source of exploitation for aviation companies. Our aviation ministry has become a mute spectator to this

CPI to raise issues related to youth, students in all-party meetings

Kumar emphasized that the meeting should have been convened 10-15 days prior to the session, allowing for more substantial discussions and incorporation of raised issues into the government's agenda

India's retail inflation eases to 4-month low of 5.2% in December

Rural areas experienced higher food inflation at 8.65 per cent, while urban regions saw a slightly lower rate of 7.9 per cent during the month

Dec retail inflation eases to 4-month low at 5.22% on falling food prices

December CPI 2024: Inflation rates for rural and urban are 5.76 per cent and 4.58 per cent, respectively

Nov retail inflation eases to 5.48%; industrial output grows 3.5% in Oct

The data shows higher inflation in rural areas at 5.95 per cent, compared to 4.83 per cent in urban regions

CPI submits breach of privilege motion in RS against Ashwini Vaishnaw

CPI floor leader in Rajya Sabha P Sandosh Kumar on Monday submitted a breach of privilege motion against Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, accusing him of misleading the House by providing figures contradictory to the ministry's own data submitted earlier to the House. According to a statement issued by the CPI, the ministry, in response to a question raised by CPI MP P P Suneer on safety of railway workers, provided the number of 65 deaths and 569 injuries from 2014-15 to 2023-24, a period of 10 years. However, in an earlier reply in Rajya Sabha on December 8, 2023, the ministry said that 361 railway workers died due to train accidents during maintenance work on rail tracks in the last five years (from 2019-20 to 27.11.2023), the statement said. The CPI said the ministry's reply on Monday sharply contradict the figures provided by it earlier in the Rajya Sabha. The party said in a sub-question of the raised question, Suneer had asked for the zone-wise details of the number of dea

India GDP growth hits 7-quarter low of 5.4% in Q2 amid manufacturing slump

The Q2FY25 growth in manufacturing slowed to 2.2 per cent, significantly below the 7 per cent recorded in Q1 and 14.3 per cent a year earlier

Early signs of second-order effects: RBI cannot ignore price pressures

It is worth highlighting that even if the headline or food inflation rate comes down, it will only reduce the pace of price increase and consumers will continue to pay comparatively high prices

CPI(M) remarks of blocking fake voters aimed at scaring real electors: Cong

The Congress and BJP on Tuesday contended that the ruling CPI(M)'s reported remarks about stopping fake voters from entering polling stations during the voting for the Palakkad assembly seat were aimed at deterring electors and would amount to taking the law into its own hands. The bypoll will be held on November 20. During the silent campaign in the Palakkad assembly constituency, Congress-led UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil, while visiting homes seeking votes, said the election officials were officers of the government and therefore, how did fake voters' names get registered on the electoral roll? Mamkootathil, the state president of the Youth Congress, said that even the UDF was opposed to fake voters, but that issue should not be used to intimidate other electors from voting. BJP's C Krishnakumar, who also visited homes in the constituency seeking votes, contended that such statements by CPI(M) shows the Left party's tendency to take law into its own hands. He said that his p

Oct retail inflation rises to 14-month high of 6.2%; IIP picked up in Sep

Retail inflation breaches RBI's 6% threshold

October retail inflation hits 14-month high at 6.21%, food prices soar 11%

India's industrial output rose 3.1% year-on-year in September, driven by a rebound in manufacturing activity

Mospi announces advancing of release time of IIP, CPI data to 4 pm

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Tuesday announced the advancing of release time for macroeconomic data Consumer Price Index and Index of Industrial Production by about one and a half hours. The data on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are currently released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) on the 12th of each month at 5:30 pm (the next working day if the 12th falls on a holiday in case of CPI) and the previous working day (if 12th falls on a holiday in case of IIP), an official statement said. According to the statement, to provide more time on the day of release to access CPI and IIP data, the MOSPI has decided to revise the release time for the CPI and IIP from 5.30 pm to 4.00 pm on the 12th of every month (the next working day if the 12th falls on a holiday of CPI) and the previous working day if 12th falls on a holiday, in case of IIP). The ministry explained that the new release