Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) – April 2026
- Context: The combined Index of Eight Core Industries increased by 1.7% (provisional) in April 2026 compared to April 2025.
- Positive growth was recorded in the following sectors: Steel, Cement, and Electricity.
About the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI)
- The ICI measures the performance of eight core infrastructure industries: Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity.
- Together, these eight sectors account for a weight of 40.27% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
-
- The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is a key statistical indicator that tracks short-term fluctuations in the volume of production across various industrial sectors in India.
- It reflects whether industrial activity is expanding or contracting during a specific period; thus, it serves as a significant measure of the country’s economic performance.
- The IIP is released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- Currently, this index is calculated using the year 2011–12 as the base year.
Cement
- Share in ICI: 5.37%
- Production recorded a growth of 9.4%.
- Cumulative Growth: 8.7%.
Steel
- Share in ICI: 17.92%
- Production increased by 6.2%.
- Cumulative Growth (Year-to-Date): 9.5%.
Electricity
- Share in ICI: 19.85%
- Electricity generation increased by 4.1%.
- Annual Gross Growth: 1.0%.
Key Highlights
- The Cement sector recorded the highest growth in April 2026.
- The Steel and Electricity sectors also exhibited positive growth.
- The Coal and Fertilizer sectors witnessed a significant decline.
- Petroleum Refinery Products hold the highest share within the ICI basket.
Care Economy
- Care Economy includes activities related to childcare, eldercare, disability support, health related home care and domestic services. It includes unpaid care work predominantly performed by women within households and paid care work delivered through formal and informal markets.
Government support for the care economy
The central government schemes for provision of care infrastructure and services are:
- Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0:
- An Integrated Nutrition Support Programme.
- It seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls,pregnant women and lactating mothers through a strategic shift in nutrition content nd promote practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity.
- Mission Shakti’s Samarthya sub-scheme: consist of erstwhile schemes of
- Ujjwala (LPG connection), Swadhar Greh (provides shelter, clothing, food and health benefits to women), Working Women Hostel ,National Creche Scheme for children of working mothers, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), ₹ 5000 Direct Bank Transfer to pregnant women and lactating mothers
- Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana
-
- The main objective of the Scheme is to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and active ageing through providing support.
- National Social Assistance Program
- secures for citizens adequate means of livelihood, raise the standard of living, improve public health and provide free education to all children.
- The Anganwadi system (now in Palna scheme)
- world’s largest public system for child services, reaches 80 million children of up to six years of age through 1.4 million centres.
- Anganwadi centres primarily cater to children aged 0–6 years. They significantly contribute to early education and holistic child development. However, since they are only open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., women still need additional care options if they are to work a full eight-hour day.
