CITU questions delay in releasing AICPI-IW

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has raised concerns over the delay in releasing the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) for February and March 2024. In a letter to Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav, CITU general secretary Tapan Sen urged the Centre to promptly release the data, crucial for regulating wages and Dearness Allowance (DA) for millions of government workers.

Sen emphasized the significance of AICPI-IW in determining DA, essential for Central government employees, and for measuring inflation and formulating policies. However, he noted the unusual delay in releasing the indices for the past two months, February and March 2024.

He highlighted that while the index for April is scheduled for release on May 31, the norms of releasing the previous month’s index on the last working day of the succeeding month were not followed for February and March. Despite promises made by the Labour Ministry, the release did not materialize.

Sen pointed out the adverse impact of this delay, resulting in Central government employees, including those in the public sector and banks, losing out on their rightful DA, which should have been announced in April based on the three-month average of CPI-IW.

He expressed dismay over the lack of explanation from the Labour Bureau or the Labour Ministry regarding the delays. Sen stressed that AICPI-IW data is crucial for calculating DA to mitigate the erosion of real wages due to rising prices of essential goods.

Sen urged Yadav to take immediate action to release the February and March indices and ensure the timely release of the April index on May 31, to safeguard the interests of Central government employees.