India’s eight industries designated as ‘core sectors’ recorded output growth of 3.6 percent in January this year, a 15-month low, according to data released by the ministry of commerce and industries on Friday, March 1.
The eight core sector industries are - coal, crude oil, steel, cement, electricity, fertilisers, refinery products, and natural gas.
During the period April-January period of the fiscal year 2023-24, the core sectors recorded a growth of 7.7 percent, against 8.3 percent in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Coal output was up 10.2 percent in January as against 10.7 percent in December 2023, crude oil output up 0.7 percent as against a fall of 1.0 percent in December, natural gas was up 5.5 percent as against 6.6 percent, steel output rose by seven percent against 7.6 percent, and cement output was up 5.6 percent against 3.8 percent in December. Electricity generation was up 5.2 percent in January, against 1.2 percent in December.
Refinery products output declined 4.3 percent against a growth of four percent in December 2023 and fertilizer output was down 0.6 percent against a growth of 5.8 percent.