Invisible inputs, visible risks
Empires were once forged in iron and fuelled by coal; today, they may fracture over elements most people cannot spell.
Empires were once forged in iron and fuelled by coal; today, they may fracture over elements most people cannot spell.
India’s core industrial activity contracted in March 2026, with the combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) falling 0.4 per cent year-on-year compared to March 2025. This marked the weakest performance in nearly two years.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its aftermath have led to a shortage of cooking gas in India. Alongside rising prices of both household and commercial LPG, bookings are now being accepted only after a 25-day gap.
After coal, sand and stone, a fresh case of illegal soil excavation and trade has surfaced in West Burdwan district following a complaint filed over the unauthorised extraction of soil and its use in brick kilns.
On a cumulative basis, the core sector expanded by 2.6 per cent during April to December 2025-26 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting moderate overall growth amid mixed sectoral trends.
In FY25, as of September 12, the Ministry of Coal achieved an upswing in coal production, reaching a provisional figure of 411.62 million tonnes (MT).
India’s total coal production reached 384.07 million tonnes (MT) in the April-August period this fiscal, a growth of 6.36 per cent compared to 361.11 MT during the corresponding period of the previous year
The coal production in India reached 384.08 million tonnes (MT) up to August in the current fiscal, a growth of 6.48 per cent compared to 360.71 MT during the same period in FY24, the government said on Monday.
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 6.1% (provisional) in July 2024 as compared to the Index in July 2023, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Friday.
As part of this strategy, the Ministry has identified 38 priority rail projects under the coal logistics plan that will be fast-tracked in close coordination with the Ministry of Railways.
