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The Consumer Price Index number for the urban non-manual employees continued to maintain upward trend. The All India figure for the last six months has risen to 437 in August 2004 from 424 in March. The All India and 59 selected urban centres in the country, the index for the month of August 2004 has risen by 4 per cent over a period of one year, with the index being 420 in August 2003. Also it was three points more than the index of the previous month i.e. July 2004. However, at group level the indices for August 2004 compared with the previous month, the increase has been five points both in “Food, Beverages and Tobacco” as well as in Fuel and Light items.
According to the Central Statistical Organisation, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Consumer Price Index in respect of the four metropolitan cities of Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, except Chennai the indices has risen in the other three Metros during August 2004, compared to the previous month. In Chennai, the indices stood at 520 points for both months. However, compared with August 2003, the figures for August this year, have risen considerably in all the four metros.
It may be noted that the variation in the index for various Centres ranges from 1.0 to 7.6 per cent, with the highest increase in Chandigarh and the least in Bhopal. The increases are 1 to 2 per cent in case of seven centres, 2.1 to 4 per cent in 26 centres, 4.1 to 6 per cent in 19 centres and 6.1 and above, in seven centres, out of the 59 selected urban centres in the country. As many as 33 centres have lower annual percentage increase compared to the all India figure of 4 per cent, while 26 centres have recorded a higher percentage increase in comparison with the All India average.
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