INFLATION RATE FALLS BUT CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR INDUSTRIAL WORKERS RISES

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The rate of inflation based upon the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers continued to witness a downward trend with a marginal fall of 0.03 percentage point during August, 2002. It went down from 3.89% in July, 2002 to 3.86 per cent in August 2002. In August, 2001 the inflation rate was 5.19%.

The All India Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) for August, 2002 (base 1982-100) went up by 3 points to stand at 484 (four hundred & eighty four) points. The increase is mainly due to rise in prices of Rice, Wheat, Groundnut oil, Mustard oil, Onions, Vegetables & Fruits, Kerosene etc. The CPI-IW during the corresponding period last year had increased by three points.

The Fall/Rise in index varied from centre to centre. In 53 centres, the index increased between 1 to 19 points and in 7 centres it remained constant whereas in another 10 centres it recorded a decrease of 1 to 7 points when compared to the previous month.

During the month Darjeeling centre experienced the maximum increase of 19 points. On the other hand Bhavnagar centre experienced the maximum decrease of 7 points. The index remained stationery in 7 centres viz. Mundakayam, Guntur, Hubli-Dharwar, Jharia, Guwahati, D.D. Tinsukia and Rourkela.

The index in respect of six main centres for August, 2002 stood at the following level: -

1. Ahmedabad 484 4. Chennai 520

2. Bangalore 456 5. Delhi 563

3. Kolkata 536 6. Mumbai 562