Retail inflation for industrial workers rises to 5.61 per cent in August

Retail inflation for industrial workers rose to 5.61 per cent in August from 2.52 per cent in the year-ago month mainly due to rise in prices of food items and petroleum products. "The year-on-year inflation based on CPI-IW remained stagnant at 5.61 per cent for August, 2018 as compared to the previous month and 2.52 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year," a Labour Ministry statement said.

According to the statement, the food inflation was (-) 0.32 per cent in August as compared to 1.61 per cent during the year-ago period. The All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Worker (CPI-WI) for August, 2018 remained at 301. On 1-month percentage change, it remained static between July and August and was also static between the corresponding months of previous year, the ministry said.

It said the maximum upward pressure to the change in current index came from miscellaneous and food groups contributing (+) 0.25 and (+) 0.07 percentage points, respectively to the total change. At commodity level, rice, wheat, wheat atta, groundnut oil, brinjal, cabbage, carrot, parval, mango (ripe), sugar, cooking gas, petrol, ornaments, glass, etc are responsible for the increase in index.

However, the ministry said, this increase was checked by fish fresh, poultry (chicken), eggs (hen), onion, french beans, methi, peas, radish, tomato, apple, guava, etc. Centre wise, Ranchi-Hatia and Bhavnagar reported the maximum increase of 5 points each followed by Kodarma (4 points). Among others, 3 points increase was observed in 9 centres, 2 points in 7 centres and 1 point in 13 centres.

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On the contrary, Pune and Tripura recorded maximum fall of 3 points each. Among others, 2 points decline was observed in 6 centres and 1 point in 15 centres. Rest of the 23 centres' indices remained stationary. The indices of 37 centres are above All-India Index and 41 centres' indices are below national average.