Chennai: Retail inflation for industrial workers rose to 6.6 per cent in Janurary on account of higher prices of certain food items, a Labour Ministry statement said.
The year-on-year inflation based on CPI-IW (Consumer Price Index for industrial workers) stood at 5.11 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year, it added. In December 2018, it was 5.24 per cent.
Similarly, it stated that the food inflation stood at 0.97 per cent against (-) 0.96 per cent in the previous month and 3.36 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year.
According to the statement, the All-India CPI-IW for January, increased by six points and pegged at 307 points. On one-month percentage change, it increased by (+) 1.99 per cent between December 2018 and January when compared with the increase of 0.70 per cent for the corresponding months of last year.
The data showed that the maximum upward pressure to the change in current index came from Housing group contributing 5.16 percentage points to the total change.
At item level, Wheat, Arhar Dal, Fish Frsh, Goat Meat, Coconut, Lady’s Finger, Tomato, Flowers/Flower Garlands, etc. are responsible for the increase in index.
However, this increase was checked by Onion, Brinjal, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Gourd, Peas, Potato, Cooking Gas, Electricity Charges, etc., putting downward pressure on the index.