NSSO has been collecting price data since its first round (1950-51). Till the 13th round wholesale and retail prices were collected alongwith the socio-economic surveys. Since 14th round (1958-59) rural retail prices have been collected every month and have been used for building up consumer price index for agricultural labourers by Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour.

In 1961-62 the schedule design and sample for collection of rural retail prices were modified. Rural prices for 129 commodities were collected through schedule 3.01 from a fixed set of 419 villages till 1984-85.

A new commodity basket consisting of 260 commodities was adopted in 1986 for collection of price data every month from a fixed set of 603 village markets spread across the states using schedule 3.01 (R). Also the daily wage rates of 18 major agricultural and non-agricultural operations are collected through the same schedule.

NSSO compiles the data and brings out a quarterly bulletin – “ Prices and Wages in Rural India (New Series)” . The bulletin provides monthly price data, in respect of those 260 commodities, only at national level and wage data at both national level and at state level for fourteen major states only.

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