Core sectors' output up 6.8% in March
The Hindu
Coal, crude oil, refinery products and fertiliser segments recorded negative growth during the month under review
The output of eight core sectors grew by 6.8% in March, driven by base effect-led uptick in production of natural gas, steel, cement and electricity, official data showed on Friday. The growth rate of the eight infrastructure sectors – coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity – stood at (-) 8.6 per cent in March 2020. According to the commerce and industry ministry data, production of natural gas, steel, cement and electricity jumped by 12.3%, 23%, 32.5% and 21.6% in March, as against (-) 15.1%, (-) 21.9%, (-) 25.1% and (-) 8.2% in March 2020, respectively.
Domestic household savings replace foreign institutional money, giving Indian markets stability but raising concerns about unequal participation and limited returns for new retail investors. Access asymmetry and unequal outcomes emerge as key challenges, making investor protection, lower fees, passive investing, and stronger governance crucial.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) should work closely with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and other concerned government agencies, to strengthen diplomatic engagement with oil-producing countries, secure favourable investment terms and address tax and regulatory hurdles faced by public-sector enterprises (PSEs) abroad, the parliamentary committee on public undertakings (2025-26) stated in their latest report tabled Wednesday.











