The growth of eight core infrastructure industries grew 5.8 per cent in February 2022 as against a contraction of 3.3 percent in the year ago month, propped up by the low base effect and strong performance in steel, cement, coal, natural gas, refinery products and electricity segments. The Eight Core Industries - coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity - comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Coal production having 10.33 per cent weight increased by 6.6 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 9.8 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over corresponding period of the previous year. Natural Gas production having 6.88 per cent weight increased by 12.5 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 20.5 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year. Petroleum Refinery production having 28.04 per cent weight increased by 8.8 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 9.2 per cent during April to February, 2021-22over the corresponding period of previous year.
Steel production having 17.92 per cent weight increased by 5.7 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 18.4 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year. Cement production having 5.37 per cent weight increased by 5.0 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 22.4 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year. Electricity generation having 19.85 per cent weight increased by 4.0 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index increased by 8.1 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year.
On the flip side, Crude Oil production having 8.98 per cent weight declined by 2.2 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index declined by 2.6 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year. Fertilizers production having 2.63 per cent weight declined by 1.4 per cent in February, 2022 over February, 2021 and its cumulative index decreased by 0.4 per cent during April to February, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year.
