The Ministry of Labour & Employment, through the Labour Bureau, has released the All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers for Agricultural Labourers (AL) and Rural Labourers (RL) for July 2025, based on 2019=100 as the base year.
According to the official release on 21 August 2025, the CPI figures saw a marginal rise, indicating moderate changes in the cost of living for rural and farm-based workers.
Key National-Level CPI Data (July 2025):
| Category | June 2025 | July 2025 | Change |
| General Index – Agricultural Labourers | 134.08 | 135.31 | +1.23 points |
| General Index – Rural Labourers | 134.37 | 135.66 | +1.30 points |
| Food Index – Agricultural Labourers | 133.74 | 135.69 | +1.94 points |
| Food Index – Rural Labourers | 133.93 | 136.09 | +2.16 points |
Inflation Trends (Year-on-Year):
| Inflation Rate (YoY) | June 2025 | July 2025 |
| General – AL | 1.42% | 0.77% |
| General – RL | 1.73% | 1.01% |
| Food – AL | -0.87% | -1.56% |
| Food – RL | -0.43% | -1.13% |
🟢 Key Insight: Food inflation remained negative, suggesting easing food prices, despite a slight increase in the food index on a month-to-month basis.
Group-wise Index Breakdown (July 2025):
| Group | AL Index | RL Index |
| General Index | 135.31 | 135.66 |
| Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages | 135.69 | 136.09 |
| Pan, Tobacco & Intoxicants | 129.85 | 128.94 |
| Fuel and Light | 121.88 | 124.03 |
| Clothing and Footwear | 144.73 | 145.45 |
| Miscellaneous | 137.62 | 137.06 |
State-wise Highlights:
| State/UT | CPI-AL | CPI-RL |
| Andhra Pradesh | 141.33 | 141.50 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 144.93 | 145.32 |
| Karnataka | 138.88 | 139.54 |
| Kerala | 139.22 | 139.35 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 137.67 | 137.63 |
| Tamil Nadu (Drop) | 131.68 | 131.12 |
| Chhattisgarh | 130.83 | 131.21 |
🟠 Notable Observation: Tamil Nadu recorded a decrease in both indices, contrary to the national trend.
Conclusion:
The July 2025 CPI data reflects marginal cost-of-living increases for rural and agricultural labourers, particularly in food and fuel categories. However, year-on-year inflation remains subdued, with negative food inflation signaling possible relief in essential commodity prices.
The indices continue to serve as vital economic indicators to guide wage revisions, policy planning, and inflation management at national and state levels.