The coal sector reported the highest growth of 5.3% (provisional) in December 2024, reaching 215.1 points compared to 204.3 points in December 2023, according to the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. For the period from April to December 2024, the sector’s index rose to 177.6 points, up from 167.2 points last year, marking a 6.2% increase, the highest among all eight core industries. The ICI tracks the performance of eight core industries: cement, coal, crude oil, electricity, fertilisers, natural gas, refinery products, and steel. In December 2024, the combined index of the eight core industries showed a 4.0% growth year-on-year. From April to December 2024, the index grew by 4.2% compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, underscoring the coal sector’s key role in driving industrial expansion. The coal sector’s impressive growth is attributed to a notable rise in production, which reached 726.31 million tonnes (MT) from 684.47 MT during the same period in 2023, highlighting its capacity to meet the increasing demand from energy and manufacturing sectors. (PIB)