Eight core industries grow by a dismal 0.5% in Jan 2011

29 Feb 2012 Evaluate

Performing dismally, the eight core industries have grown by a meager 0.5% in January 2012. The poor performance was mainly because of the slackening output of crude oil, steel, natural gas and petroleum refinery products.

The eight core industries recorded a growth rate of 6.4% in January 2011 and 3.1% in December 2011. For the April-January this fiscal, the growth was lower at 4.1% compared to 5.7% in the corresponding period of 2010-11.

As per the data released by Commerce and Industry Ministry, crude oil production having weight of 5.22% contracted by (-)2% in January 2012 against growth of 10.8% in the same month last year. Natural gas production having weight of 1.71%, also contracted by (-) 8.9% against (-) 6.3% year-on-year. In January, the petroleum refinery output contracted sharply to (-) 4.6% from 8.7% and steel production declined having weight of 6.68% by (-) 2.9% from 8.7% growth. On the other hand, coal output went up by 7.5% from (-) 1.3% year-on-year. Fertiliser expanded by 4% from 5.9%, cement by 10.6% from 1.8% and electricity by 2.4% from 9.7%.

Coal, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products, steel, cement, fertilisers and electricity form the eight core industries and are considered to be an important indicator of industrial growth in the country. They contribute 37.9% in the overall Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and with this dismal numbers are likely to impact the whole IIP figures for January. However, the development has raised hopes that the RBI will cut interest rates in its upcoming policy review on March 15.

 

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