Centre set to release new retail inflation series today

In order to present a better picture of the price situation in the country, the Government will on Thursday release a new series of Consumer Price Index (CPI) with 2012 as base year for computing retail inflation rate.

The first series (revised) has been compiled for January which will be released on February 12. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has recently revised the base year and methodology for computing national account which provides a picture of the economy. From January 2016 onwards, inflation rates would be compiled using the actual CPI of the revised series, according to an official statement.

CSO has been releasing Consumer Price Indices (CPI) for Rural, Urban and Combined, at state/UTs and all India level, since January 2011. Apart from base revision, a number of methodological improvements have been introduced in the revised series.