The Hindu Business Line : Core sectors growth dips to 1.8% in Sept

THE six core infrastructure sectors registered a 1.8 per cent year-on-year growth in output in September 2005, falling from the 5.7 per cent growth registered in August, largely on account of a dip in crude production and lower electricity generation, according to Government data released on Thursday. The infrastructure output had gone up 0.2 per cent in September last year.

During April-September this year, infrastructure output grew 4.4 per cent, lower than the 5.3 per cent growth registered during the same period a year ago, mainly due to a fall in production in the crude, electricity and cement sectors.

Crude: According to the data, crude petroleum production registered a negative growth of 7.3 per cent in September compared to a 2.5 per cent growth in the corresponding month last year. Crude production registered a negative growth of 4.9 per cent during April to September compared to 4.3 per cent in the same period last fiscal.

Refinery: Bucking the trend, crude refinery production grew by 5 per cent in September compared to a negative growth of 0.2 per cent in September 2004. Petroleum refinery production registered a negative growth of 0.7 per cent during April to September this fiscal compared to 7.3 per cent increase in the same period last year, according to the release.

Coal: Coal production grew by 4.6 per cent in September 2005 compared to 9.3 per cent in September 2004. Coal production grew by 5.3 per cent during April to September compared to an increase of 6.3 per cent in the same period of last fiscal.

Electricity: Electricity production registered a negative growth of 0.6 per cent in September 2005 compared to 7.6 per cent in September 2004. Electricity production grew by 4.7 per cent during April to September in the current fiscal compared to an increase of 7.8 per cent in the same period last fiscal, the release said.

Cement: Cement production grew by 4.9 per cent in September 2005 compared to a 10 per cent growth registered in September 2004. On a cumulative basis, cement production grew 11.4 per cent during April to September 2005-06 compared to an increase of 4.8 per cent in the same period of 2004-05.

Finished steel: Finished (carbon) steel production, however, grew by 5.9 per cent in September 2005 compared to the negative growth of 14.1 per cent in September 2004. On a cumulative basis finished (carbon) steel production grew by 7.2 per cent during April to September 2005-06 compared to 1.3 per cent in the same period of 2004-05, the release added.

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