CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: New Series for updation of Base of CPI(Industrial Workers) proposed

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: New Series for updation of Base of CPI(Industrial Workers) proposed

Background of CPI-IW series:

The CPI-IW series on scientific lines was first introduced with base 1960=100 which was based on the results of Family Living Survey conducted in 1958-59 at 50 industrially important centres. The series was then, updated on base 1982=100 and a revision in 1999-2000 has further updated the base on 2001=100. The current series of CPI-IW  with base year 2001=100 covers 78 industrially important centers spread across the country.

Need for Base Updation:

The consumption pattern of the working class population undergoes change over a period of time and therefore, it becomes necessary that the consumption basket is updated from time to time to account for these changes and to maintain the representative character of the index. The need for frequent revision of base on account of fast changing consumption pattern of the target group has been recommended by International Labour Organisation, National Statistical Commission, National Commission on Labour and also Technical Advisory Committee on Statistics of Prices and Cost of Living. Also this recommendation was strongly reiterated by the Index Review Committee set up under the Chairmanship of Prof. Chadha which inter-alia stated that the intervening gap between the two series should not exceed 10 years. Labour Bureau accordingly, has proposed to revise the base year of the existing CPI-IW series 2001=100 to a more recent base year preferably, 2013-2014=100.

Scope and Coverage:

The current series of CPI-IW with base 2001=100 was constructed on the basis of employment data in seven sectors namely, Registered Factories, Mining, Plantations, Ports & Docks, Public Motor Transport, Electricity Generation & Distribution Establishments and Railways sector. The current series comprises of a basket of about 370 items and 289 price collection markets spread across 78 centres of the country. In the existing series, the Working Class Family Income & Expenditure Survey was conducted during 1998-99 by the NSSO and a sample size of 41040 family budget schedules and 15960 house rent schedules (i.e. about a total of 57000 schedules) were canvassed from 78 industrially important centres of the country. The price collection work was done by the Labour Bureau and the main survey work of income & expenditure data collection was conducted by NSSO.

In line with the recommendations of Index Review Committee (IRC), the possibilities of extending the  scope of the new series to two more additional sectors i.e. Handloom and Construction sectors are being considered. However, Labour Bureau expects an increase in the number of centres from existing 78 centres to around 88-95 centres approximately. Consequently, the total number of family budget enquiry schedules and house rent schedules to be canvassed would increase to 70,000 schedules approximately.

Committees:

i) Standing Tripartite Committee

The Index Review Committee (IRC) headed by Prof. G.K. Chadha recommended for constitution of a Standing Tripartite Committee (STC) of all the stakeholders.  Accordingly Ministry of Labour & Employment constituted a Standing Tripartite Committee (STC) vide order No. Y-12011/5/2010-ESA(LB), dated 12th January, 2011.

The Terms of Reference of the STC formed are as follows:

The Standing Tripartite Committee will

{i}       examine the various aspects of the base year revision of Consumer Price Index Number Series for Industrial Workers {CPI-IW} including the selection of Centres, sample size, sampling design, methodology for deriving the weighting diagram and linking factor;

{ii}      examine the method of price collection procedures and machinery of price collection;

{iii}     examine the centre specific weighting diagrams for all the centres, selection of base year, compilation of base year prices, trial indices; and

{iv}     consider any other relevant issue{s}/matter as may be necessary.

Secretarial assistance to the Standing Tripartite Committee will be provided by the Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour.  The Committee may also enlist the assistance of subject matter experts within and/or outside the Government and may co-opt members according to necessity.

Source- http://labourbureau.nic.in/

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