The growth of eight core infrastructure industries jumped by 56.1 percent in April 2021, mainly due to a low base effect and uptick in production of natural gas, refinery products, steel, cement and electricity. The eight infrastructure sectors had contracted by 37.9 per cent in April 2020 due to lockdown restrictions imposed to control the spread of coronavirus infection. In March 2021, the eight sectors had recorded a growth rate of 11.4 percent. 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, Steel production having 17.92 percent weight declined by 20.7 percent in April, 2021 over April,2020 and Its cumulative index declined by 9.0 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Fertilizer production having 2.63 percent weight declined by 5.3 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020, while its cumulative index increased by 1.5 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Electricity generation having 19.85 percent weight declined by 3.3 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 0.5 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Crude Oil production having 8.98 percent weight declined by 4.6 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 5.2 percent during April to March, 2020-21over the corresponding period of previous year. Natural Gas production having 6.88 percent weight declined by 1.1 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 8.2 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year.
Petroleum Refinery production having 28.04 percent weight decreased by 8.2 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 11.2 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Cement production having 5.37 percent weight declined by 15.2 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 11.9 percent during April to March, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year. Coal production having 10.33 percent weight declined by 46.0 percent in April, 2021 over April, 2020 and its cumulative index declined by 1.9 percent during April to March, 2020-21over corresponding period of the previous year.