New Delhi – India’s inflation numbers for September show a mix of small cuts and steady gains, especially for workers in the countryside. The Ministry of Labour and Employment released data that puts the year‑on‑year inflation rate for agricultural labourers at –0.07 % and for rural labourers at 0.31 %. In plain terms, the pay of farm workers dipped slightly, while rural workers saw a modest rise.
The All‑India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for agricultural labourers fell 0.11 points to 136.23, and the index for rural labourers slid 0.18 points to 136.42. Food costs were the biggest driver of these changes, dropping 0.47 points for agricultural workers and 0.58 points for rural workers. These figures use a base year of 2019 = 100 and are drawn from 787 sample villages spread across 34 states and union territories.
The consumer‑price series was updated to reflect new spending patterns. Researchers replaced the old arithmetic mean with a geometric mean, which dampens sharp price swings. They also updated the weighting of expenses and re‑classed items under the COICOP‑2018 categories. These tweaks make the indices more representative of how people actually spend money today.
Meanwhile, India’s wholesale price index (WPI) eased slightly to 0.13 % in September from 0.52 % in August, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The headline CPI also fell to an eight‑year low of 1.54 %, driven by cheaper food items and lower fuel costs.
Overall, India’s inflation picture in September signals a slowing pace of price rises, giving relief to workers, especially in the agricultural and rural sectors. The data suggest that while wages are steadier, food prices remain an important factor for the country’s cost of living. —
Source: ianslive
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