Core sector output growth hits a 5-month high of 6.7% in November

Core sector industrial production in the country rose to a five-month high of 6.7 per cent in November, on the back of higher output in coal, refinery products, electricity and cement.

The eight core sector industries, comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity had grown at a slower pace of 3.2 per cent in November last year.

The index of the eight core sector industries (Base: 2004-05=100), which has a weight of nearly 38 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP), rose 6.3 per cent in October this year while it showed a cumulative growth of 4.6 per cent during April-November 2014-15.

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in IIP, increased by 14.5 per cent year-on-year in November 2014. Cumulative production of coal during April-November 2014-15 increased 9.4 per cent compared to the previous year period.

Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) declined by 0.1 per cent in November 2014. Cumulative production of crude oil during April-November 2014-15 declined by 0.8 per cent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Natural gas production (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 2.9 per cent in November. Cumulative production of crude oil during April-November 2014-15 declined by 5.3 per cent year-on-year.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) increased by 8.1 per cent in November 2014. Cumulative production during April-November2014-15 declined by 0.5 per cent year-on-year.

Fertilizer production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) declined by 2.8 per cent in November 2014. Cumulative production during April-November 2014-15 declined by 1.3 per cent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Production of steel (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) increased by 1.3 per cent in November 2014. Cumulative production during April-November 2014-15 also increased by 2.2 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) increased by 11.3 per cent in November 2014. Cumulative growth during April-November 2014-15 was 8.5 per cent year-on-year.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 10.2 per cent in November 2014 and recorded a cumulative growth of 10.4 per cent during April-November 2014-15 compared to the previous year period.