Growth in the country’s core sector accelerated to 6.7% in January, 2018 from 3.4% a year ago thanks to a huge jump in the output of cement and petroleum refinery and a robust performance by the power sector. more-inGrowth in the country’s core sector accelerated to 6.7% in January, 2018 from 3.4% a year ago thanks to a huge jump in the output of cement and petroleum refinery, and a robust performance by the electricity sector. Power generation upElectricity generation went up to 8.2% from 5.2% during the period under review, while coal sector output slowed to 3% from 3.5% and steel production to 3.7% from 11.3%. Crude oil production shrunk to 3.2% (from 1.3% in January 2017) and fertilisers contracted by 1.6% (from -1.2%) and natural gas shrunk by 1% (from 11.6% in January, 2017). The cumulative growth in the core sectors during April-January this fiscal slowed to 4.3% as against 5.1% in the corresponding period last fiscal.

Source: The Hindu February 28, 2018 15:45 UTC