January infra output reduces to 0.5% y-o-y

In a poor performance, the eight core industries grew by 0.5% in January mainly due to slackening output of crude oil, steel, natural gas and petroleum refinery products.

The eight core industries, which include coal, cement, fertilisers and electricity, had recorded a growth rate of 6.4% in January 2011.

During December 2011, the core sectors recorded a growth of 3.1% against 6.3% same period previous year.

For the April-January this fiscal, the growth was lower at 4.1% compared to 5.7% in the corresponding period of 2010-11 in wake of deceleration in investment.

The eight industries together contribute 37.9% in the overall Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

As per the data released by Commerce and Industry Ministry, crude oil production contracted by 2% in January 2012 against 10.8% in the same month last year.

Natural gas production too contracted by 8.9% against (-) 6.3% year-on-year.

In January, the petroleum refinery output contracted to 4.6% from 8.7% and steel production declined by (-) 2.9% from 8.7%.

On the other hand, coal output went up by 7.5% from (-) 1.3% year-on-year.

Fertilisers segment expanded by 4% from 5.9%, cement by 10.6% from 1.8% and electricity by 2.4% from 9.7%.