Core sector growth gains pace, marginally up 4.7% in April

Led by sustained rise in cement production and spurt in coal output

Sustained rise in cement production and a spurt in coal output led the combined output of the economy’s eight core sectors to grow at a marginally higher pace of 4.7 per cent in April as against 4.4 per cent in March.

The pace of growth had been sluggish over the past two months. The eight sectors comprising crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel and electricity, contribute about 40 per cent to the total industrial production.

In April, six sectors performed better than a month earlier. Double-digit rise in cement production continued to solidify overall growth for six straight months, rising