Food, fuel stoke up consumer price index

With food products, fuel and clothing items moving up marginally in August, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) surged by 1.18 per cent on a sequential basis, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

The CPI based on retail prices was recorded at 111.7 points in August, compared to 110.4 points in July. At the all-India level, the CPI for ‘food, beverages and tobacco' surged by 1.27 per cent month-on-month.

The main increase was seen in the case of vegetables, with the index rising 4.61 per cent, while the indices for milk and milk products and fruits went up by over one per cent each.

The index for oils and fats was also up by 1.27 per cent sequentially.

Prices in the ‘fuel and light' segment rose by 0.69 per cent in August vis-à-vis the previous month, while the CPI for ‘clothing, bedding and footwear' clocked an increase of 1.12 per cent.

The index for ‘Housing' was up 0.65 per cent month-on-month in August. This is the third month that housing prices have been factored into the CPI data.

However, data were compiled only for urban areas. Miscellaneous items rose by 1.19 per cent in August.

The general index for rural and urban consumers stood at 113.1 points and 109.8 points, respectively, in August.

In July, they were recorded at 111.6 points and 108.9 points, respectively, for rural and urban consumers.

Meanwhile, the overall June CPI reading has been maintained at the provisional estimate of 108.8 points.

The Government began releasing the nationwide CPI from January this year.

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