The six core industries grew by 6.5 per cent in June this year against 5.1 per cent in the same month last year on improved production in cement, coal, crude oil and electricity.
The growth rate of six core industries -- crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel was 2.8 per cent in May.
During April-June this fiscal, the core industries grew by 4.8 per cent compared to 3.5 per cent in the corresponding period the previous year.
Cement production increased by 12.8 per cent in June against 6.6 per cent a year ago, while coal production rose by 14.7 per cent during the month against 6.1 per cent in June 2008.
Electricity generation grew by 7 per cent in the month under review against a growth rate of 2.6 per cent in June 2008. Crude oil production too registered a rise of 4 per cent in June, while it had dipped by 4.7 per cent in the same month last year.
Production in petroleum refinery products shrank by 3.7 per cent in the third month of the current fiscal compared to 5.6 per cent rise in June 2008.
Finished steel production posted a growth rate of 5.3 per cent in June against 10.4 per cent in the same month last year.