The Hindu Business Line : Infrastructure sector grows 9.9 pc in Sept

A jump in crude oil production coupled with high refinery and growth in power generation propelled the overall infrastructure growth to 9.9 per cent in September 2006 compared with 6.3 per cent during the same month of the previous year, according to official figures released here on Friday.

During September, crude oil production increased by 9.3 per cent as against a negative growth of 7.4 per cent in September last year while power generation improved by 11.5 per cent over a negative growth of 0.7 per cent in the comparable period.

Core Industries

Refining output increased by 13.5 per cent during the month as against a mere 4.9 per cent last year, while cement production shot up by 15.9 per cent from 4.9 per cent in the corresponding month of 2005-06.

Coal production, however, declined to 0.6 per cent as against a growth of 4.3 per cent in September 2005, while steel output grew at a slower rate of 8.4 per cent compared with 23.3 per cent during the same month of the previous year.

Cumulatively, the six core industries registered a growth of 7.3 per cent in April-September this year as against 6.1 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

Refinery Production

During the April-September period, crude petroleum production showed a growth of 4.1 per cent as compared to a negative 5 per cent in the corresponding month last year. Refinery production grew by 12.3 per cent so far this fiscal against a negative 0.7 in April-September 2005-06.

Cumulative coal production grew by 5.3 per cent as against 6 per cent during the same period in 2005-06, while electricity generation grew by 6.7 per cent in the first six months this year as against 4.7 per cent in the corresponding period of last year.

While growth in cement production slowed down to 10 per cent during the six month period from last year's 11.4 per cent, the steel output declined to 7.2 per cent against 13.7 per cent during the same period previous year, the release said.