Agricultural price Index increases by eight points

Shimla, Sep 19 (UNI) The All India Price Index numbers for Agirucltural Labourers and Rural Labourers (Base 1986-87-100) for August,2008 increased by eight points each to stand at 450 points for both the series.

The rise and index varied from state to state. In the case of Agricultural Labourers, four states reflected an increase in index ranging between one and four points, 13 states between five and nine points and three states between 10 and 11 points. Punjab with 491 points topped the index table whereas Manipur was at the bottom with the index level of 389 points.

In the case of rural labourers, the increase in index ranged between two and four points in four states, between five and nine points in 13 states and 10 points each in three states, Punjab with 489 points topped the index table whereas Manipur was at the bottom with the index level of 390 points.

The consumer price index number of Punjab for agricultural Labourers registered the highest increase of 11 points and for Rural Labourers, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab recorded a maximum increase of 10 points each mainly due to increase in the prices of rice, wheat, wheat atta, jawar, bajra, pulses, milk, onion, vegetables and fruits, sugar, gur firewood, shirting cloth and anacin.

Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL increase from 9.41 per cent during July, 2008 to 10.29 per cent each in August, 2008 respective rates of inflation during August, 2007 were 8.80 per cent and 8.51 per cent.

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