The growth of eight core infrastructure industries contracted for the tenth month in a row by 1.3 percent in December 2020 as compared to same period of last year, dragged down by poor show by crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel and cement sectors. The production of eight core sectors had recorded a growth of 3.1 percent in December 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 3.6 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 5.7 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Natural Gas production having 6.88 percent weight declined by 7.2 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 11.6 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Petroleum Refinery production having 28.04 percent weight declined by 2.8 percent in December, 2020 over December,2019 and its cumulative index declined by 13.5 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Steel production having 17.92 percent weight declined by 2.7 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 16.7 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Cement production having 5.37 percent weight declined by 9.7 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019 and its cumulative index declined by 18.3 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
On the other hand, Coal production having 10.33 percent weight increased by 2.2 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019, while its cumulative index fell by 1.9 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over corresponding period of the previous year. Fertilizers production having 2.63 percent weight fell by 2.9 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019 and its cumulative index increased by 3.0 percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Electricity generation having 19.85 percent weight increased by 4.2 percent in December, 2020 over December, 2019, while its cumulative index declined by 3.7percent during April to December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.