Index for agri labourers rise by 3 points in Aug

Shimla, Sept 20: All India Consumer Price Index for agricultural labourers increased by three points in August this year to stand at 375 points while that for the rural labourers increased by two points and stood at 376 points.

The indices, calculated with the year 1986-87 as base, clocked varied rates of increase in different states, according to the Labour Bureau sources.

The indices for agricultural labourers showed an increase of one to nine points in 16 centres, decreased by one to two points in two, while remaining stationary in two others, the sources said.

Punjab and Meghalaya were at the top of the table with 402 points each, while Manipur was at the bottom with 334 points.

The sources said the indices for rural labourers reflected an increase of one to nine points in three states, decreased by one to two points in two and remained stationary in two other centres.

Punjab was at the top of the table with 406 points, whereas Manipur was at the bottom with 334 points.

Orissa experienced the sharpest increase of nine points each for agricultural labourers and rural labourers due to rise in the prices of rice, wheat atta, ragi, onion, chillies dry, vegetables and fruits, firewood and saree cotton.

The sources said Bihar recorded a decrease of two points for both the categories of labourers, mainly due to the fall in the prices of rice, wheat, maize, chillies green and vegetables and fruits.

West Bengal also recorded a fall of two points in case of rural labourers.

The point-to-point rate of inflation for agricultural labourers and rural labourers increased from 6.29 per cent and 5.95 per cent in July to 6.53 per cent and 6.2 per cent respectively during August this fiscal, the sources said.

The respective rates of inflation during the corresponding period last year were 3.23 per cent and 3.2 per cent, they added.

UNI