The Central Statistics Office (CSO) of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced that the new series of Consumer Price Index(CPI) numbers for Rural, Urban and Combined (Rural +Urban) on base 2010 (January to December)=100 taking all segments of rural and urban population. The CSO, MoSPI releases Consumer Price Indices (CPI) on base 2010=100 for all-India and States/UTs separately for rural, urban and combined every month with effect from January, 2011.
These indices is classified into five major groups namely Food, beverages and tobacco; Fuel and light; Clothing, bedding and footwear, and Miscellaneous. It is believed that (at least now we can say!) past CPI numbers do not encompass all the segments of the population in the country and as such they do not reflect true picture of the price behavior in the country; hence the new series of CPI.
In the new series (for urban areas) the regular price collections of 310 towns have been selected across the country which includes State/UT capitals. A total of 1114 price schedules containing an average of 250 Items are canvassed every month. For Rural areas, total of 1181 villages have been selected across the country. One schedule containing an average of 225 items from each selected village is canvassed for every month. CSO will compile the national CPI by Combining / merging CPI of both Rural and Urban with appropriate weights, as derived from NSS 61st round of Consumer Expenditure Survey (2004-05) data.
New series of CPI-- All India weights
| |||
Sub group/group
|
Rural
|
Urban
|
Combined (Rural+Urban)
|
Cereals and products
|
19.08
|
8.73
|
14.59
|
Pulses and products
|
3.25
|
1.87
|
2.65
|
Milk and milk products
|
8.59
|
6.61
|
7.73
|
Oils and fats
|
4.67
|
2.89
|
3.90
|
Egg, fish and meat
|
3.38
|
2.26
|
2.89
|
Vegetables
|
6.57
|
3.96
|
5.44
|
Fruits
|
1.90
|
1.88
|
1.89
|
Sugar etc
|
2.41
|
1.26
|
1.91
|
Condiments and spices
|
2.13
|
1.16
|
1.71
|
Non- alcoholic beverages
|
2.04
|
2.02
|
2.03
|
Prepared meals etc
|
2.57
|
3.17
|
2.83
|
Pan, tobacco and Intoxicants
|
2.73
|
1.35
|
2.13
|
Food, beverages and tobacco
|
59.31
|
37.15
|
49.71
|
Fuel and light
|
10.42
|
8.40
|
9.49
|
Clothing and bedding
|
4.60
|
3.34
|
4.05
|
Footwear
|
0.77
|
0.57
|
0.68
|
Clothing, bedding and footwear
|
5.36
|
3.91
|
4.73
|
Housing
|
22.53
|
9.77
| |
Education
|
2.71
|
4.18
|
3.35
|
Medical care
|
6.72
|
4.34
|
5.69
|
Recreation and amusement
|
1.00
|
1.99
|
1.43
|
Transport and communication
|
5.83
|
9.84
|
7.57
|
Personal care and effects
|
3.05
|
2.74
|
2.92
|
Household requisites
|
4.48
|
3.92
|
4.30
|
Others
|
1.12
|
0.99
|
1.06
|
Miscellaneous
|
24.91
|
28.00
|
26.31
|
All Groups
|
100.00
|
100.00
|
100.00
|
My Reflection
Finally, the new series of CPI has come into existence. Many people may not be aware that the CSO was supposed to release the CPI new series for States/UTs and all – India was expected to from 18th February, 2011. But, the new series is released this year 18th April, 2012. I can only say that “It's never late than never”.
