Core sector output growth accelerates to 6.3% in October

Core sector industrial production in India accelerated to 6.3 per cent in October 2014, from the slow pace of 1.9 per cent in September, on the back of a 16.2 per cent increase in coal production and a 13.2 per cent increase in electricity generation.

The index of production of core sector industries comprising fertiliser, cement, steel, electricity, crude oil, coal, petroleum refinery products and natural gas improved solely on the back of a spectacular show by the coal and electricity sectors.

Core sector industrial production recorded a cumulative growth of 4.3 per cent during the April-October period of the 2014-15 financial year.

The eight core sector industries account for nearly 38 per cent of the weight of items included in the general index of industrial production (IIP). 

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the IIP, increased by 16.2 per cent year-on-year in October 2014. Cumulative production of coal during the April-October period of 2014-15 increased by 8.5 per cent.

Production of crude oil, which has a weight of 5.22 per cent in the general index, increased by 1.0 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production of crude oil during April-October 2014-15, however, declined by 0.9 per cent year-on-year.

Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 4.2 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15 declined by 5.6 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) increased by 4.2 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15, however, declined by 1.7 per cent.

Fertiliser production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) declined by 7.0 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15 also declined by 1.1 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Steel production (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) increased by 2.3 per cent year-on-year in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15 also increased by 2.3 per cent.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) declined by 1.0 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15 was 8.1 per cent higher compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 13.2 per cent in October 2014. Cumulative production during April-October 2014-15 increased by 10.5 per cent year-on-year.