Core sector contracts 0.1% in March

Output of eight core sectors, which has a weightage of about 38% in the industrial production, contracted 0.1% in March year-on-year.

This was mainly on account of decline in the output of steel, natural gas and cement that fell by 4.4%, 1.5% and 4.2% respectively.

In the entire 2014-2015 the core sector grew by 3.5% over the the same period last year.

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38% on IIP, increased by 6% in March. Cumulatively, during April to March 2014-15 production of coal increased by 8.2% over corresponding period of last fiscal.

Petroleum Refinery production declined by 1.3% in March. Its cumulative index during April to March, 2014-15 increased by 0.4% over the corresponding period of previous year.