Core sector grows 5.5% in February; highest in 11 months

Just before the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to fight the coronavirus outbreak, India’s eight key infrastructure sectors witnessed a handsome 5.5 per cent growth in February, compared to 1.4 per cent in the previous month, backed by a double-digit output in coal and power sectors.

This is the highest growth recorded in core sector output in the past 11 months and is an indication that the industrial production data for February will also be a robust one. The core sector contributes over 40 per cent of the weight of items included in the index of industrial production (IIP).

Follow live updates on coronavirus

The output of crude oil, natural gas and steel, however, contracted in the month under review, the data showed.

This is the last set of data before India went into a 21-day long lockdown after mid-March. The statistical data collection has stopped since March 18. Hence, there could be no industrial production data in the coming months.

The output of coal grew 10.3 per cent, power production expanded 11 per cent in February and refinery products grew 7.4 per cent. The cement output too grew 8.6 per cent while fertilizer expanded 2.9 per cent.