Infrastructure growth declines to 4.2%

The growth of six infrastructure industries posted a decline to 4.2 per cent due to a negative growth of crude petroleum industry. The growth in these industries — crude petroleum, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel — stood at 6.5 per cent during April-September, 2002-03.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, barring petroleum refinery products which registered a higher growth of 6.1 per cent during the first six months of current fiscal as against 5.6 per cent in the corresponding period last year, all other sectors registered a decline. The figures for the six infrastructure industries, however, show an estimated growth of 5.9 per cent during September, 2003, as against 2.2 per cent the previous year. The production of crude petroleum improved during September 2003 to 0.3 per cent as against 0.1 per cent growth during September 2002. Petroleum refinery products grew by a massive 11 per cent during September, 2003, as against 2.9 per cent during the same period of 2002. While coal sector grew at 3.7 per cent during April-September, 2003, as against 5.8 per cent during the same period of last fiscal, the electricity output grew by 2.8 per cent as against 3.4 per cent during the period under review.

During September 2003, the coal sector grew by 4.9 per cent as against a minus 2.4 per cent during September 2002.