The output of eight core industries increased at a four-month high of 7.8 per cent in January 2023 as against 4 per cent in the same month of previous year, led by a sharp uptick in fertiliser production and double-digit growth in coal mining and electricity generation. Core sectors’ output had grown 7.4 per cent in December 2022. 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 13.4 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 16.1 per cent during April to January 2022-23 over corresponding period of the previous year. Natural Gas production, having 6.88 per cent weight increased by 5.3 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 1.4 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Petroleum Refinery production, having 28.04 per cent weight increased by 4.5 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 5.4 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year. Fertilizers production, having 2.63 per cent weight increased by 17.9 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 10.5 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year. Steel production, having 17.92 per cent weight increased by 6.2 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 7.1 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Cement production, having 5.37 per cent weight increased by 4.6 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 10.0 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year. Electricity generation, having 19.85 per cent weight increased by 12.0 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022 and its cumulative index increased by 10.1 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year. However, crude oil production, having 8.98 per cent weight declined by 1.1 per cent in January, 2023 over January, 2022. Its cumulative index declined by 1.3 per cent during April to January, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of previous year.
