Core Infrastructure Industries Output Grew by 6.6% in Dec 2010

According to the data released by the Industry Ministry on 31 January 2011 output of the six core infrastructure industries grew by a healthy 6.6 per cent in December 2010 thereby indicating a firmly grounded Indian economy.

The six core sectors including crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel expanded by 6.2 per cent in December, 2009 while it charted 6.6 per cent growth in December2010. The index of industrial production or IIP numbers for December was thus higher. Industrial output measured by the IIP, had sunk to an 18-month low of 2.7 per cent in November 2010. The core industries account for 26.68 per cent of the country's total industrial output. Petroleum refinery output grew by 8.3 per cent, while production of coal registered 3 per cent growth in December 2010. Finished steel production also grew by 11.2 per cent in December, 2010, from 9.6 per cent in the comparable period a year ago. However growth in cement production slowed to 2.2 per cent in December 2010 as compared to 11 per cent expansion in December 2009.