Indian output down 2.4% in April

The output of eight core industries in India contracted for the second consecutive month in April, on poor performances by the cement, electricity, natural gas refinery products and fertiliser sectors.

In April 2015, output by the eight industries fell by 0.4 per cent. The output of the cement sector declined by 2.4 per cent, with falls in production also sen in natural gas (3.6 per cent), electricity (1.1 per cent), refinery products (2.9 per cent) and fertiliser output (0.04 per cent). Coal and steel were only two sectors to show some growth.

Output of the eight core sector industries had declined by 0.1 per cent in March 2015, while it had seen a growth of 5.7 per cent a year earlier. 

The overall growth of these sectors across FY14-15 stood at 3.5 per cent versus 4.2 per cent in the previous fiscal.

The growth rate has been declining since November last year. From 6.7 per cent in November 2014, it fell to 2.4 per cent in December 2014 and then to 1.8 per cent in January and 1.4 per cent in February.