Contracting for the ninth consecutive month, the growth of eight core infrastructure industries dropped by 2.6 per cent in November 2020 as compared to same period of last year, mainly due to decline in production of natural gas, refinery products, steel and cement. The production of eight core sectors had recorded a growth of 0.7 percent in November 2019. The Eight Core Industries - coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity - comprise 40.27% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Among eight core sectors, Crude Oil production having 8.98 percent weight dropped by 4.9 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 6.0 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Natural Gas production having 6.88 percent weight declined by 9.3 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 12.1 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Petroleum Refinery production having 28.04 percent weight declined by 4.8 percent in November, 2020 over November,2019 and its cumulative index declined by 14.9 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Steel production having 17.92 percent weight declined by 4.4 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 19.4 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Cement production having 5.37 percent weight declined by 7.1 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 19.5 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
On the other hand, Coal production having 10.33 percent weight increased by 2.9 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index fell by 2.6 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over corresponding period of the previous year. fertilizers production having 2.63 percent weight increased by 1.6 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019 and its cumulative index increased by 3.8 percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Electricity generation having 19.85 percent weight increased by 2.2 percent in November, 2020 over November, 2019, while its cumulative index declined by 4.7percent during April to November, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.