Retail inflation increases marginally to 2.86% in March

15 Apr 2019 Evaluate

India's retail inflation, measured in Consumer Price Index (CPI), has continued rising trend for second straight month and increased marginally to 2.86% in March 2019 as compared to 2.57% in February 2019, on account of increase in prices of food articles and fuel. On yearly basis, it was 4.28% in March 2018. Though, retail inflation remains well within the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) comfort level of 4% for about eight months now, coming down from 4.17% in July 2018. Besides, inflation in food basket rose to 0.30% in March from (-) 0.73% in the previous month.

As per the data of the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme, the CPI (Rural, Urban, Combined) on Base2012=100 for March 2019, stood at 1.80%, 4.10% and 2.86% respectively, compared to 4.44%, 4.12% and 4.28%, respectively in March 2018. The index value of CPI for combined stood at 140.4. The data also showed that CFPI for all India Rural and Urban for March 2019 stood at (-) 1.46% and 3.47%, respectively, compared to 3.71% and 1.22%, respectively in March 2018. The index value of CFPI for combined stood at 135.9 for the month of March.

The rate of price rise was higher in 'fuel and light' category. The inflation in the segment rose to 2.42% as against 1.24% in February. Besides, the inflation for housing eased to 4.93%, while that for miscellaneous items also fell to 5.68% in March 2019. Within the miscellaneous items, the inflation for personal care and effects declined to 4.06%, education 7.58%, household goods and services 6.05% and transport and communication 2.98%, while it rose for recreation and amusement to 5.60% and health 8.86% in March 2019. The inflation for clothing and footwear declined to 2.59%, while the CPI inflation of fuel and light increased to 2.42% in March 2019.

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