Retail Inflation for Farm, Rural Workers Up in February

Retail inflation for farm workers and rural labourers rose to 2.67 per cent and 2.76 per cent in February against 2.17 per cent and 2.35 per cent respectively in January, 2021. Inflation based on food index of CPI-AL and CPI-RL is at 1.55 per cent and 1.85 per cent respectively in February 2021, a labour ministry statement said.

The All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers for the month of February 2021 decreased by 1 point each to stand at 1037 and 1044 points respectively, compared to January. The CPI-AL was at 1010 and CPI-RL at 1016 in February 2020.

The major contribution towards the fall in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food with (-) 2.94 points and (-) 2.54 points respectively mainly due to fall in prices of wheat atta, gur, potato, cauliflower etc, the statement said. The fall/rise in index varied from State to State. In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded a decrease of 1 to 20 points in 10 States and an increase of 1 to 11 points in 8 States whereas index of 2 States remained stationary.

Tamil Nadu State with 1252 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh State with 818 points stood at the bottom. In case of Rural Labourers, it recorded a decrease of 1 to 19 points in 10 States and an increase of 1 to 11 points in 9 States whereas index of Odisha State remained stationary. Tamil Nadu State with 1237 points topped the index table whereas Bihar State with 842 points stood at the bottom.

Amongst states, the maximum decrease in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers was experienced by West Bengal State (-20 points and – 19 points respectively) mainly due to fall in the prices of wheat atta, chillies green, vegetables and fruits and firewood etc. On the contrary, the maximum increase in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers was experienced by Kerala State (+11 points each) mainly due to rise in the prices of rice, fish fresh, onion and vegetables and fruits etc.

“The decrease in index is mainly on account of decline in the prices of wheat atta & vegetables which will bring cheers to the millions of labourers working in rural areas by putting lesser burden on their pockets,” Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said.

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