Infrastructure output up 6.8 pct in Feb

New Delhi: The output of the six core infrastructure industries grew by 6.8 per cent in February supported by healthy expansion of sectors like crude oil, petroleum refinery products and finished steel.

The six core sectors -- crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel – had expanded by 4.2 per cent in February 2010.

In January, 2011, the output of the core infrastructure sectors grew by 7.1 per cent. These core industries account for 26.68 per cent of the country's total industrial output.

Petroleum refinery and crude oil output grew by 3.2 per cent and 12.2 per cent in February from 0.7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively in the same period last year, data released by the Industry Ministry today revealed.

Electricity generation grew by 7.2 per cent in the month under review compared to 6.9 per cent in February 2010, the data said.

Finished steel production too registered a healthy growth of 11.5 per cent in February from a contraction of 0.2 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

However, coal output contracted by 5.7 per cent in contrast to 6.7 per cent expansion in the corresponding period last year.

Growth in cement production slowed to 6.5 per cent in the month under review from 7.9 per cent in February 2010.

During the April-February period of the current fiscal, the six core industries registered a growth of 5.7 per cent, compared to 5.4 per cent expansion in the same period last year.

Source: Financial Express