New consumer price indices pegs inflation at 6 pc for Jan

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The Government today launched anew series measuring inflation which suggested Consumer PriceIndex based inflation at 6 per cent for January this year.

The figure was arrived based on a comparison with theannual all-India CPI index average for the whole of 2010.

"Since these indices are being introduced for the firsttime, annual inflation rates have not been compiled," theMinistry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said in astatement.

According to new series, all-India Comsumer Price Indexstood at 106 (provisional figure) for January 2011 taking thebase at an annualised level of 100 for the entire year.

Though inflation in terms of CPI based on the newcomputation stands at six per cent, the ministry said thatactual rate of inflation would be available only after aperiod of one year.

While the rural CPI indices stood at 107, CPI urban stoodat 104 during the month under review.

Releasing the new series, the government said for aperiod of one year, the practice of giving the figures in thepresent form without quoting the inflation rate would becontinued "till the series gets stabilised" and adequatetimely receipt of price data is achieved.

It added that these are provisional figures and would berevised subsequently.

The ministry further said all the states have not beenincluded for the new calculations as figures from some of themare yet to be compiled.

These consumer indices have been released for five majorgroups -- food, beverages and tobacco; fuel and light;housing; clothing, bedding and footwear; and miscellaneous.

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