Retail inflation for agricultural & rural workers rise to 2.94 per cent in May

New Delhi, Jun 19 (KNN) Retail inflation for agricultural workers and rural workers rose to 2.94 per cent and 3.12 per cent, respectively, in May as certain food inflation based on CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 1.54 per cent and 1.73 per cent, respectively, during May 2021.

In April, they stood at 1.24 per cent and 1.54 per cent, respectively. The inflation rates in April had stood at 2.66 per cent and 2.94 per cent, respectively.

"Point-to-point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers) and CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers) stood at 2.94 per cent and 3.12 per cent in May 2021," the labour ministry said in a statement on Friday.

''The All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers (Base: 1986-87=100) for the month of May, 2021 increased by 8 points each to stand at 1049 (One thousand and forty-nine) and 1057 (One thousand and fifty-seven) points respectively,'' it added.

The major contribution towards the rise in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food with (+) 6.67 points and (+) 6.16 points respectively mainly due to rise in prices of wheat atta, meat goat, fish fresh, mustard oil, groundnut oil, pulses, vegetables and fruits etc.

The rise/fall in the index varied from state to state. In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 17 points in 18 States and a decrease of 2 and 3 points in Jammu & Kashmir and Tripura states respectively. Tamil Nadu State with 1247 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh state with 815 points stood at the bottom.

In case of Rural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 14 points in 18 states and a decrease of 2 points each in Tamil Nadu and Tripura states. Tamil Nadu state with 1231 points topped the index table whereas Bihar state with 855 points stood at the bottom.

Amongst states, the maximum increase in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for agricultural labourers was experienced by Maharashtra state (+17 points) and for rural labourers it was experienced by Maharashtra & Jammu & Kashmir States (+14 points each) mainly due to rise in the prices of rice, wheat-atta, jowar, pulses, mustard oil, groundnut oil, vegetables & fruits, fish fresh/dry, meat goat, milk, sugar, gur, shirting cloth cotton (mill), kerosene oil etc.

''On the contrary, the maximum decrease in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for agricultural labourers was experienced by Tripura state (-3 points) and for rural labourers it was experienced by Tamil Nadu & Tripura states (-2 points each) mainly due to fall in the prices of rice, onion, fish fresh, chillies green, turmeric etc,'' the statement added.

Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in the statement, "The increase in CPI-AL and CPI-RL will have a positive impact on the income of the workers engaged in the agricultural and rural sector by way of increased wages."

Labour Bureau Director General D P S Negi stated, "The increase in general index of agricultural labourers and rural labourers is mainly on account of an increase in the prices of wheat atta, meat goat, fish fresh, mustard oil, groundnut oil, pulses, vegetables and fruits, medicine, firewood and kerosene."

"Like other price indices, CPI-AL and CPI-RL also observed an increase in inflation during the month", Negi added.