Q2: Utility segments remain bright spots
28 Nov 2020
2 Min Read
Editorial Team
Some essential infrastructure activities were the best performers in yet another gloomy
quarter. While the overall GDP growth rate stayed negative, at -7.5%, electricity, gas,
water supply and other utility services grew at 4.4%, topping the charts in the quarter.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing grew at 3% while in a relief, manufacturing was on the
positive side, too, at 0.6%.
However, construction remains a big concern as the GVA for construction slumped
more than 8%. Defence and other services were down 12%. Real estate and
professional services contracted by 8.1%.
As India plummeted into in decades, the first quarter鈥檚 (Q1 2021)
slump to a worst-ever -23.9% in a coronavirus-hit, lockdown-hampered economy was
followed by something that many consider .
Consumption, however, shrank by 11.5%, and is an indicator that actual recovery of
demand in the private sector is a distance away. The path to recovery, however, seems
to be in place unless the coronavirus situation worsens over the next months. The third
quarter (Q3 2021) includes much of the festive season and may be something the
industries will look forward to, although Q2 also encloses a small part of festive
spending.
RBI governor Shaktikanta Das warned the industry of overoptimism, especially about
expectations that the economy will grow faster than earlier anticipated, since the Covid-
19 pandemic is feared to resurge in the country.
It may be recalled that eight core sectors have shown contraction in October, including
crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, steel, fertiliser. However, coal (11.6%) and
electricity (10.5%0 grew significantly in October.
Some essential infrastructure activities were the best performers in yet another gloomy
quarter. While the overall GDP growth rate stayed negative, at -7.5%, electricity, gas,
water supply and other utility services grew at 4.4%, topping the charts in the quarter.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing grew at 3% while in a relief, manufacturing was on the
positive side, too, at 0.6%.
However, construction remains a big concern as the GVA for construction slumped
more than 8%. Defence and other services were down 12%. Real estate and
professional services contracted by 8.1%.
As India plummeted into its first recession in decades, the first quarter鈥檚 (Q1 2021)
slump to a worst-ever -23.9% in a coronavirus-hit, lockdown-hampered economy was
followed by something that many consider better news.
Consumption, however, shrank by 11.5%, and is an indicator that actual recovery of
demand in the private sector is a distance away. The path to recovery, however, seems
to be in place unless the coronavirus situation worsens over the next months. The third
quarter (Q3 2021) includes much of the festive season and may be something the
industries will look forward to, although Q2 also encloses a small part of festive
spending.
RBI governor Shaktikanta Das warned the industry of overoptimism, especially about
expectations that the economy will grow faster than earlier anticipated, since the Covid-
19 pandemic is feared to resurge in the country.
It may be recalled that eight core sectors have shown contraction in October, including
crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, steel, fertiliser. However, coal (11.6%) and
electricity (10.5%0 grew significantly in October.
Next Story
CRCL, IIT Delhi Sign MoU to Boost Science and Ease of Business
The Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) toward trade facilitation and improving the ease of doing business. This MoU collaboration aims to foster R&D, innovation, and scientific excellence at CRCL, bolstering trade facilitation and regulatory efficiency.The MoU was signed by Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, and Shri V. Suresh, Director, CRCL, in presence of Shri Surjit Bhujabal, Speci..
Next Story
CAQM Sub-Committee Activates 27-Point Plan to Improve NCR Air Quality
The daily average AQI of Delhi has been hovering marginally above 200 threshold with forecast of slight improvement since last two days. Today, Delhi鈥檚 daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 213 (鈥楶oor鈥� category), as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), owing to variable winds. In wake of the average/ overall air quality of Delhi recording 鈥楶oor鈥� air quality category ranging between 201-300, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP met today to take stock of the current air quality scenario of Delhi-NCR. While comprehensively reviewing the a..
Next Story
DoT Launches Financial Fraud Risk Indicator to Boost Cybersecurity
In a major step towards combating cyber fraud and financial crime, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced sharing of 鈥淔inancial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)鈥� with stakeholders- an output from a multi- dimensional analytical tool developed as part of the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to empower financial institutions with advance actionable intelligence for cyber fraud prevention. This will enhance cyber protection and validation checks in case of mobile numbers flagged with this tool when digital payment is proposed to be made to such numbers.What is the 鈥淔inancial ..