India's core sector output growth slows to 4.2% in August
03 Oct 2018
Core sector industrial production in the country expanded at a slower pace of 4.2 per cent in August 2018 against a robust 6.6 per cent in July and an even higher pace of 6.7 per cent recorded in June this year.
Expansion of the key sector was slackened by a decline in crude oil and fertiliser production and sluggish performance of industries in coal, steel, refinery products and natural gas production.
Output in the eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity, which carry nearly 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), grew 5.5 per cent in April-August 2018-19, official data showed.
Production of coal, which has a weight of 10.33 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP) increased by 2.4 per cent in August 2018 while cumulative coal production during April-August 2018 increased by 10.3 per cent.
Production of crude oil (weight of 8.98 per cent in IIP) declined by 3.7 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative production declined by 3.3 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Production of natural gas (weight of 6.88 per cent in IIP) increased by 1.1 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative production declined by 0.6 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Petroleum refinery production (weight of 28.04 per cent in IIP) increased by 5.1 per cent in August 2018 while cumulative refinery throughput increased by 7.4 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Production of fertilizers (weight of 2.63 per cent in IIP) declined by 5.3 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative production increased by 1.7 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Production of steel (weight of 17.92 per cent in IIP) increased by 3.9 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative production increased by 3.4 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Production of cement (weight of 5.37 per cent in IIP) increased by 14.3 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative production increased by 14.7 per cent during April-August 2018-19.
Electricity generation (weight of 19.85 per cent in IIP) increased by 5.4 per cent in August 2018 while its cumulative generation increased by 5.3 per cent during April-August 2018-19.