Core sector output growth stuck at 3.2% in October as well

Core sector industrial production in the country expanded at 3.2 per cent in October 2015, continuing its pace of growth in September as well, although higher compared to the 2.6 per cent growth recorded in August this year.

Core sector industrial production in India had expanded at a faster rate of 6.3 per cent in October 2014.

Core sector output growth, which started showing signs of weakness since May this year, had started showing positive growth since August, but failed to pick up momentum.

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), had expanded at a rate of 2.5 per cent in April-October this year.
 
Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the index of industrial production (IIP), increased by 6.3 per cent year-on-year in October 2015 while cumulative production of coal during April-October 2015-16 increased by 4.5 per cent over corresponding period of the previous year.

Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) decreased by 2.1 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 increased by 0.03 per cent.

Natural gas production (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 1.8 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 declined by 2.1 per cent.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) declined by 4.4 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 increased by 2.4 per cent year-on-year.

Fertiliser production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) increased by 16.2 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 increased by 9.2 per cent.

Production of steel (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) declined by 1.2 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 declined by 0.5 per cent.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent) increased by 11.7 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 increased by 2.6 per cent.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 8.8 per cent in October 2015 while cumulative production during April-October 2015-16 increased by 4.7 per cent.