ISLAMABAD, May 16: The rate of inflation (Consumer Price Index) during the first 10 months of 2002-03 increased by 3.27 per cent the corresponding period of previous year.
According to the monthly review of price indices released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) spiralled by 3.65 per cent. The same period, however, saw an increase of 6.08 per cent in Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
During April the CPI went up 2.24pc and SPI 2.23pc over the corresponding period of previous year. As compared to March 2002, the CPI increased by 0.33pc, while CPI and WPI decreased by 0.23pc and 1.17pc, respectively.
As the new school year opened in April, the CPI for education recorded the highest increase (1.38pc) over March 2003 among the ten major groups into which the CPI basket is divided.
The analysis shows that education became dearer by 5.20pc over the previous year. This increase is, of course, attributed only to the increase in tuition fee alone. The impact on the CPI of increase in cost of books and writing materials in April was not imputed because the Ministry of Education could not decide in time which syllabus to prescribe.
The second highest increase in the CPI was recorded in respect of food & beverages that carries the weight in 40.34. It moved up 1.06pc in April as compared to March 2003 and 1.01pc over the corresponding period of previous year.
Fuel and lighting group registered a decline of 0.20pc in April from the previous month. But when compared to April 2002, it registered an increase of 4.90pc. By the same dint, the FBS data shows a drop of 2.76pc over the previous month. However, overall this group piled up a further increase of 4.90pc over the corresponding period of previous year.
Recreation and entertainment group with weightage of 0.83pc in the CPI basket also moved down by 0.11pc — a telling reflection of stagnation where the people are forced to spare less and less for activities other than the chase after basic necessities of life.
As regards other groups, these increased during April 2003 as compared to previous month as follows: Apparel, textile & footwear 0.30pc; house rent 0.18pc; household, furniture and equipment, etc., 0.19pc; cleaning, laundry and personal appearance 0.37pc; and Medicare 0.05pc.
The main commodities which showed an increase in their prices during April 2003 over March 2003 are as under:
FOOD & BEVERAGES: Onions (19.16pc), fresh fruits (13.73pc), vegetables (11.95pc), chicken farm (9.61pc), betel leaves and nuts (1.34pc) and meat (1.18pc).
APPAREL, TEXTILE AND FOOTWEAR: Cotton cloth (3.90pc).
EDUCATION: Tuition fee (2.02pc).
CLEANING, LAUNDRY AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE: Toilet soap (3.90pc).
The main commodities which showed a decrease in their prices during April 2003 over March 2003 are as under:
FOOD AND BEVERAGES: Tomatoes (11.18pc), potatoes (8.61pc), pulse gram (6.29pc), besan (5.93pc), wheat (3.08pc), gram whole (3.05pc), pulse mash (2.50pc), spices (1.60pc), wheat flour (1.52pc), fish (1.46pc), eggs (1.36pc) and condiments (1.12pc).
FUEL AND LIGHTING: Kerosene oil (8.23pc).
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION: Diesel (17.40pc) and petrol (9.40pc).
WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX: The 6.90pc increase in it during April 2003 over the corresponding period of previous year is disaggregated into various groups. Highest increase was recorded in WPI for raw materials, that is, 16.56pc. Cost of fuel, lighting and lubricants spurted by 12.32pc, manufactures by 5.86pc and building materials by 1.91pc.