The output of eight core sectors grew by 16.8 per cent in May, mainly due to a low base effect and uptick in production of natural gas, refinery products, steel, cement and electricity, official data released on Wednesday showed.
The eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity had contracted by 21.4 per cent in May 2020 due to the lockdown restrictions imposed to control the spread of the Covid-19 infections.
In March this year, these key sectors had recorded a growth of 11.4 per cent, and 60.9 per cent in April. According to the commerce and industry ministry data, production of natural gas, refinery products, steel, cement and electricity jumped by 20.1 per cent, 15.3 per cent, 59.3 per cent, 7.9 per cent and 7.3 per cent in May.