Coal Sector Achieves Highest Growth Among Core Industries In November

The coal sector saw strong growth of 7.5% in November, reaching 199.6 points from 185.7 points in November 2023, according to the Index of Eight Core Industries released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industries on Thursday.

The growth was due to a surge in coal production during the April– November period. The sector posted a 6.4% growth for the period, with its index rising to 172.9 points, compared to 162.5 points during the same period last year. This marks the highest growth among the eight core industries.

"This surge in production underscores the sector's capacity to meet growing demand of energy and manufacturing industries," the Ministry of Coal said in a statement.

The Index of Eight Core Industries tracks the performance of eight core sectors like cement, coal, crude oil, electricity, fertilisers, natural gas, refinery products, and steel.

Overall, the combined Index of Eight Core Industries grew 4.3% in November and 4.2% for the April-November period compared to the same months last year, reflecting a strong contribution from the coal sector to industrial growth.

In another statement, the ministry stated that the total coal production from captive and commercial mines rose 34% to 131.05 million tonnes in the April–December period. This is the highest-ever monthly coal production from captive and commercial mines, with 18.4 MT of coal produced during the month.

Coal dispatches from captive and commercial mines hit a record high in December, with 17.67 MT dispatched during the month.

From April 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, the total dispatches from captive and commercial mines totalled 137.3 MT, reflecting a 34% growth compared to 102.5 MT in the same period the previous year.