According to the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) (Base Year 2011-12) released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, among the eight core industries, after the power industry, coal sector has shown the highest growth of 10.2 percent (provisional) in the month of May, 2024. The index of coal industry has reached 184.7 points during May, 2024 as against 167.6 points during the same period last year and its cumulative index has increased by 8.9 percent during April to May, 2024-25 as compared to the same period last year.
The ICI measures the combined and individual production performance of eight major industries namely cement, coal, crude oil, electricity, fertilizers, natural gas, refinery products and steel.
The combined index of eight core industries witnessed a significant growth of 6.3 per cent during May 2024 as compared to the same period of the previous year, underlining the substantial contribution of the coal sector to the overall industrial expansion. The coal industry has consistently outperformed its peer industries and has shown a higher growth than the combined growth of the eight core industries during the last two financial years.
The driving force behind this remarkable growth can be attributed to the significant increase in coal production during May 2024. Coal production reached an impressive 83.91 million tonnes, a significant increase of 10.15 per cent over the same period last year. This increase in production underlines the sector's ability to meet the growing demand of the energy and manufacturing industries.
The extraordinary expansion of the coal sector and its pivotal role in accelerating the overall development of eight core industries is a testimony to the sustained efforts and proactive initiatives of the Ministry of Coal. These efforts are in line with the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and contribute to the country's progress towards self-reliance and energy security.
