India's core sector expands 7.4 per cent in March

Core sector industrial production in India grew at a healthy 7.4 per cent (provisional) in March 2011, against the 6.8 per cent growth recorded both during February this year and March 2010. 

The six core sector industries comprising crude oil, petroleum refinery, coal, electricity, cement and steel grew at 5.9 per cent (provisional) during the 2010-11 financial year (1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011) against the 5.5-per cent growth recorded during the previous financial year.

The six core sector industries, which have a combined weight of 26.7 per cent in the index of industrial production (IIP), continued to remain on a higher growth path except for the slight dip in January.

The index of core sector production (with base 1993-94=100) stood at 272.6 (provisional) in March 2011, up 7.4 per cent (provisional) compared to the 6.8 per cent growth recorded in March 2010. 

During April-March 2010-11, the six core sector industries expanded by 5.9 per cent (provisional) against the 5.5 per cent growth recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Crude oil production (having a weight of 4.17 per cent in the IIP) recorded a growth of 12.1 per cent (provisional) in March 2011 against a growth rate of 3.5 per cent in March 2010. Crude production grew 11.9 per cent (provisional) during April-March 2010-11 against a 0.5 per cent growth during the same period of 2009-10.