Bhubaneswar: Odisha is among the three states grappling with inflation rates considerably above the national average.
Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures retail inflation, in India was recorded at five month low of 4.31% in January 2025, thanks to easing food inflation across the country. However, Kerala at a staggering 6.76% topped the list of states in terms of overall retail inflation rate last month followed by Odisha (6.05%) and Chhattisgarh (5.85%), according to the data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
The higher inflation in Odisha last month has been attributed to the rising price of essential commodities. Rural inflation was 2.72% higher than the urban. The corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban were at 6.79% and 4.07% respectively.
Odisha consistently recorded inflation above 7% for more than eight months between November 2023 and October 2024. The rate had shot up from one of the lowest 3.75% in June 2023 to 8.73% in December 2023.
Concerned over the situation, Union Secretary of Statistics and Programme Implementation Saurabh Garg has advised Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja to take immediate steps for easing inflation. He pointed out that Odisha experienced one of the highest year-on-year inflation rates among all major states in November, the TNIE reported.
The report attributed the overall rise in retail inflation to food price volatility, supply chain bottlenecks and structural economic factors. It also factored in the state’s reliance on mining and heavy industries, which do not necessarily translate into stable consumer prices.
