Core sector output expands 6.6% in October

Core sector industrial production in India expanded at a higher pace of 6.6 per cent in October 2016, up from 5 per cent in September this year, on the back of a sharp jump in refinery production, government data released on Wednesday showed. Core sector output had expanded at 3.2 per cent in October 2015.

At 6.6 per cent the expansion of output in India's core industrial sectors in October is estimated to be the fastest in six months.

Output in the eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity, which carry nearly 38 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), expanded at a cumulative 4.9 per cent in April-October this fiscal.

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP) declined by 1.6 per cent in October 2016 while  cumulative production of coal during April-October 2016-17 increased by 0.7 per cent over corresponding period of the previous year.

Crude oil production (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) declined by 3.2 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production during April-October 2016-17 declined by 3.3 per cent year-on-year.

Natural gas production (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 1.4 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production of natural gas during April-October 2016-17 declined by 4.0 per cent.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) increased by 15.1 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production during April-October 2016-17 increased by 8.9 per cent.

Fertiliser production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) increased by 0.8 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production during April-October 2016-17 increased by 4.8 per cent.

Steel production (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) increased by 16.9 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production of fertilisers during April-October 2016-17 increased by 8.5 per cent.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) increased by 6.2 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative production during April-October 2016-17 increased by 4.8 per cent.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 2.8 per cent in October 2016 while cumulative generation of electricity during April-October 2016-17 increased by 4.7 per cent.