The All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Agricultural and Rural Labourers recorded a marginal decline in September 2025, according to data released by the Labour Bureau under the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Saturday.
The CPI for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) slipped by 0.11 points to 136.23, while the index for Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) declined by 0.18 points to 136.42. The Food Index for both categories also registered a fall — by 0.47 points for agricultural labourers and 0.58 points for rural labourers.
Year-on-year inflation based on CPI-AL stood at -0.07 per cent in September, compared to 1.07 per cent in August, while for rural labourers, it dropped to 0.31 per cent from 1.26 per cent in the previous month. Food inflation witnessed a sharper contraction, coming in at -2.35 per cent for agricultural labourers and -1.81 per cent for rural labourers.
The indices are calculated using the base year 2019=100 and are compiled from price data collected from 787 villages spread across 34 states and union territories.
At the group level, an increase was recorded in the indices for Fuel and Light, Clothing and Footwear, and Miscellaneous categories, while Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages saw a decrease. The index for Pan, Tobacco and Intoxicants rose slightly.
State-wise data showed that Jammu and Kashmir continued to record the highest CPI for both agricultural (147.68) and rural labourers (148.01). In contrast, states such as Goa, Delhi, Bihar, and Uttarakhand witnessed a decline in both indices.
In September, Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam registered noticeable increases in the indices, while marginal drops were observed in states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
The Labour Bureau’s monthly CPI data for agricultural and rural labourers provides key insights into retail price movements in rural India and is a critical input in wage revision and policy formulation, particularly for schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
