India's CPI Inflation Surges To 5.49% In September; Food Inflation Hits 9.24%

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation in India for the month of September 2024 surged to 5.49 per cent, as per the recent data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Monday (October 14).

"It is likely that the increase in inflation rate for the month of September, 2024 is due to high base effect and weather conditions," added the government data.

The CPI Inflation in August 2024 stood at 3.65 per cent.

Food Inflation

The Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) surged to 9.24 per cent in September, majorly driven by factors such as the rising costs of vegetables, pulses, and cereals.

The vegetable prices reported a staggering increase of 35.99 per cent and the pulses segment inflation rate stood at 9.81 per cent. Although, in the pulses category, there was a decline from August’s 13.6 per cent.

In the cereal prices, it posted a rise of 6.84 per cent, which is slightly lower than the 7.31 per cent seen in the previous month.

In the meat and fish, inflation in this category dropped to 2.66 per cent in September 2024

Housing inflation rate & All India Electricity index

"Year-on-year Housing inflation rate for the month of September, 2024 is 2.78 per cent. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of August, 2024 was 2.66 per cent. The housing index is compiled for urban sector only," according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation data.

The All India Electricity index saw a slight uptick, with inflation rising to 5.45 per cent from 4.91 per cent in the previous month.

Urban and Rural areas

The inflation rates for rural and urban stood at 5.87 per cent and 5.05 per cent, respectively