India's core sector production grew 7.1 per cent in January

Core sector industrial production in the country gathered further momentum and posted a higher growth of 7.1 per cent (provisional) in January 2011 against the 5.3 per cent growth recorded in December 2010.

The six core sector industries comprising crude oil, petroleum refinery, coal, electricity, cement and steel had grown at a faster pace of 9.8 per cent in January 2010.

During April-January 2010-11, the six core industries registered a growth of 5.6 per cent (provisional) against 5.5 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year.

The index of the six core industries having a combined weight of 26.7 per cent in the index of industrial production (IIP) with base 1993-94 stood at 295.6 (provisional) in January 2011.

Production of crude oil (having a weight of 4.17 per cent in the IIP) recorded a growth of 10.8 per cent (provisional) in January 2011 against a growth rate of 9.8 per cent in January 2010. Crude production climbed 11.9 per cent (provisional) during April-January 2010-11 against a negative (-) 0.1 per cent growth reported during the same period of 2009-10.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 2 per cent in IIP) recorded a growth of 8.7 per cent (provisional) in January 2011 compared to a growth of 3.8 per cent in January 2010. Petroleum refinery production grew 2.4 per cent (provisional) during April-January 2010-11 against a negative growth of (-) 0.5 per cent during the comparable period of the previous fiscal (2009-10).