India's core sector output expands 3.7% in August

Core sector industrial production in the country continued to expand for a second month, growing at 3.7 per cent in August 2013, up from the 3.1 per cent growth recorded in the previous month.

The eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity recorded production growth of 3.7 per cent in August 2013 against a growth of 2.1 per cent in August 2012.

The index of core sector industries (base 2004-05=100), having a weight of 37.90 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP), stood at 154.5 in August 2013, which was 3.7 per cent higher compared to the index of August 2012.

The improvement in core sector production was mainly due to an increase in electricity generation and higher production of cement and steel.

Production of coal, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in IIP, increased by 5.5 per cent year-on-year in August 2013 while cumulative production of coal during the period April-August 2013-14 increased by 0.5 per cent over corresponding period of previous year.

Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) showed a moderate increase of 1.5 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012 while cumulative production during April-August 2013-14 was up 1.6 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 16.1 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012. Its cumulative index during April-August 2013-14 declined by 17 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) recorded a growth of 4.9 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012 while cumulative production during April-August 2013-14 grew 4.8 per cent over the corresponding period of previous year.

Fertiliser production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) grew 1.7 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012 and recorded a cumulative growth of 1.8 per cent during April-August 2013-14 year-on-year.

Steel production (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) recorded a growth of 4.3 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012. Cumulative year-on-year growth of production during April-August 2013-14 was 4.1 per cent.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) increased by 5.5 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012 while cumulative year-on-year production growth during April-August 2013-14 was 3.2 per cent.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent) increased by 6.7 per cent in August 2013 over August 2012 and recorded a cumulative growth of 4.1 per cent during April-August 2013-14 year-on-year.