Infrastructure sector growth hits a low of 1.8 per cent in July

Growth of six core infrastructure industries hit its lowest in the current fiscal, falling to 1.8 per cent in July from 5.3 per cent in June, pulled down by a negative growth in petroleum refinery production.

The expansion of the infrastructure sector has been constrained by a 14.4 per cent contraction in petroleum refinery production in July this year, against a growth of 5.1 per cent a year ago.

The index of core sector industrial production with base 1993-94 stood at 244.6 (provisional) in July 2009 and posted a growth of 1.8 per cent (provisional) compared with a growth of 5.1 per cent in July 2008.

During April-July 2009-10, the six core sector industries registered a growth of 4.0 per cent (provisional) as against 3.5 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Crude oil production (weight of 4.17 per cent in the IIP) registered a negative growth at (-) 0.4 per cent (provisional) in July 2009 compared with a growth of (-) 3.0 per cent in July 2008. For the April-July period crude oil production grew (-) 1.1 (provisional) compared with (-) 0.9 per cent registered during the same period of 2008-09.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 2.0 per cent in the IIP) recorded a negative growth of (-) 14.4 per cent (provisional) in July 2009 compared with a growth of 11.8 per cent in July 2008. Petroleum refinery production registered a growth of (-) 6.9 per cent (provisional) during April-July 2009-10 compared with 5.4 per cent during the same period of 2008-09.