GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2900

ANSWERED ON:14.03.2011

NEW METHODOLOGY TO ASSESS PRICE INDEX

ANANT KUMAR HEGDE

(a) whether the Government has prepared a new Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate the rate of inflation;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of group items selected for calculated price index alongwith the items/commodities/sub-group included under each group;

(d) the basis on which the assessment has been made; and

(e) the mechanism put in place for collecting the required information from all the States?

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENTbe pleased to state:- 

ANSWER

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

(SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE)

 (a) & (b): According to information furnished by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation on 18th February, 2011, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), released a new series of Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers on base 2010=100 for rural and urban areas separately and combined (rural+urban). This index is available at the all-India level and also at the level of States/UTs. The All-India Consumer price indices for January, 2011(provisional) in respect of rural, urban and combined are 107, 104 and 106 respectively.

(c) & (d): Consumption patterns used for new CPI have been derived from the results of the Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office during 2004-05. A statement giving details of sub-group and group along with all India weights for rural, urban and combined is annexed.

(e): Prices of specified consumption items are collected every month from 1181 selected villages covering all the districts by the officials of the Department of Posts. Prices from urban areas covering 310 selected towns which include all State/UT capitals by the Field Operations Division of the National Sample Survey Office, excepting three States/UT of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Lakshadweep where the price collection work is undertaken by the respective State/UT Government.