New Delhi: Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) is being released by the Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade for the Month of May 2021. ICI measures combined and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity. The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).  As compared to the Index of May 2020 the combined Index of Eight Core Industries increased by 16.8 per cent (provisional) which stood at 125.8 in May 2021. The production of Coal, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Steel, Cement, and Electricity industries increased in May 2021 over the corresponding period of last year.

  The final growth rate of the Index of Eight Core Industries for February 2021 is revised to (-) 3.3% from its provisional level (-) 4.6%. The growth rate of ICI during April-May 2021-22 was 35.8% (P) as compared to the corresponding period of last FY

Index of Eight Core Industries can be summarized as:

Natural Gas - Natural Gas production (weight: 6.88 per cent) increased by 20.1 per cent in May 2021 over May 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 22.5 per cent from April to May 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Fertilizers – Fertilizers production (weight: 2.63 per cent) decreased by 9.6 per cent in May 2021 over May 2020. Its cumulative index decreased by 3.9 per cent from April to May 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Coal – Coal production (weight: 10.33 per cent) increased by 6.9 per cent in May 2021 over May 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 8.2 per cent from April to May, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Crude Oil – Crude Oil production (weight: 8.98 per cent) declined by 6.3 per cent in May 2021 over May 2020. Its cumulative index declined by 4.2 per cent from April to May, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Petroleum Refinery Products – Petroleum Refinery production (weight: 28.04 per cent) increased by 15.3 per cent in May, 2021 over May, 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 22.8 per cent from April to May 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year

Fertilizers – Fertilizers production (weight: 2.63 per cent) decreased by 9.6 per cent in May, 2021 over May, 2020. Its cumulative index decreased by 3.9 per cent during April to May 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Cement – Cement production (weight: 5.37 per cent) increased by 7.9 per cent in May 2021 over May 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 100.4 per cent from April to May 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Electricity – Electricity generation (weight: 19.85 per cent) increased by 7.3 per cent in May, 2021 over May, 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 21.5 per cent during April to May, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of previous year.

Steel – Steel production (weight: 17.92 per cent) increased by 59.3 per cent in May, 2021 over May, 2020. Its cumulative index increased by 149.5 per cent from April to May, 2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year.