The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) recorded a provisional growth of 4.6 percent in January 2025 compared to January 2024. A positive growth trend was observed in the production of Cement, Refinery Products, Coal, Steel, Fertilizers, and Electricity during the month. On the other hand, Crude Oil and Natural Gas production registered declines.
The ICI serves as an indicator of both the collective and individual performance of the eight core sectors, namely Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity. These industries together contribute 40.27 percent to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
The final growth rate of the ICI for October 2024 stood at 3.8 percent, while the cumulative growth rate for the period April to January 2024-25 was 4.4 percent (provisional) compared to the same period in the previous year.
Sector-Wise Performance
Coal production rose by 4.6 percent in January 2025 compared to January 2024, with a cumulative growth of 6.0 percent from April to January 2024-25.
Crude Oil output declined by 1.1 percent in January 2025 year-on-year, with an overall decrease of 2.0 percent in the April–January period.
Natural Gas production dropped by 1.5 percent in January 2025 compared to the previous year. However, its cumulative index showed a modest rise of 0.5 percent over the April–January period.
Refinery Products production increased significantly by 8.3 percent in January 2025 compared to January 2024, with a cumulative rise of 3.3 percent in the April–January period.
Fertilizer output grew by 3.0 percent in January 2025 compared to the previous year, with a cumulative increase of 1.7 percent during April–January.
Steel production expanded by 3.7 percent in January 2025 year-on-year, with a cumulative growth of 5.9 percent over the April–January period.
Cement production surged by 14.5 percent in January 2025 compared to January 2024, and its cumulative index rose by 4.6 percent during April–January.
Electricity generation witnessed a 1.3 percent rise in January 2025 year-on-year, with a cumulative growth of 5.0 percent from April to January 2024-25.
Cover photo: www.pexels.com
