ALL INDIA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL LABOURERS INCREASES

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The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural and Rural Labourers (Base 1986-87 = 100) increased during May, 2002. The index for Agricultural Labourers increased by 2 points over the previous month’s level to stand at 311 while it went up by one point for Rural Labourers to stand at 313.

In case of Agricultural Labourers, 13 states reflected an increase in indices between 1 to 7 points and 5 States showed decrease in indices between 2 to 6 points while the indices remained constant in 2 states.

In the case of Rural Labourers, 12 states reflected increase in indices between 1 to 6 points and 5 states showed decrease in indices between 2 to 6 points while the indices remained constant in 3 states.

Among the states, Jammu & Kashmir experienced sharpest increase of 7 points and 6 points for Agricultural and Rural Labourers respectively. On the other hand, Meghalaya and Tripura in respect of Agricultural Labourers and Tripura in case of Rural Labourers recorded a maximum decrease of 6 points each.

Meghalaya continued to figure at the top of the index table for both Agricultural and Rural Labourers with 348 and 345 points respectively whereas Bihar including Jharkhand remained at the bottom with 288 points for Agricultural Labourers and 290 points for Rural Labourers.

Point to point rate of inflation based on CPI-AL decreased from 2.66 % in April, 2002 to 2.64% in May, 2002. The inflation rate for the CPI-RL also decreased to 2.29% in May, 2000 from 2.97 % during April, 2002. Respective rates of inflation during May, 2001 were (-) 2.26 % and (-) 1.61 %.

All-India Consumer Price Index (General & Group-wise)

GROUP	Agricultural Labourers		Rural Labourers
	April,2002	May, 2002	April, 2002	May, 2002
General Index	309	311	312	313
Food	301	302	302	303
Pan, Supari etc	371	372	372	373
Fuel & Light	317	319	317	320
Clothing, Bedding & Footwear	330	331	339	340
Miscellaneous	325	325	325	326