Consumer Price Index at 106 pts in April, same as March

The new Consumer Price Index introduced earlier this year stood at 106 points in April, the same level as March.

While the Consumer Price Index (CPI), according to the new series unveiled in January this year, increased to 106 in April against the base of 100 in 2010, the exact inflation figures would only be released from next year.

As per data released by the government today, the general indices for rural and urban consumers stood at 108 and 105 points, respectively, in April.

In March, the overall CPI had stood at 106, while the indices for rural and urban consumers were reported at 104 and 107.

Meanwhile, the combined index for February has been maintained at 105 points.

The new CPI is intended to reflect the actual movement of prices at the micro-level and help policymakers like the RBI in better framing of decisions.

Releasing the new series, the government had earlier said it would continue the practice of giving figures in the present form without quoting the inflation rate for one year, "till the series gets stabilised" and adequate timely receipt of price data was achieved.

The new consumer indices cover five major groups -- food, beverages and tobacco; fuel and light; housing; clothing, bedding and footwear and miscellaneous items.