Six infra industries' growth slows down to 5.3%

Decline in production of crude oil coupled with a slowdown in output of other products pulled back the growth of six key infrastructure industries to 5.3 per cent in June compared to 7.7 per cent a year ago.

The growth of the six infrastructure industries, which have a combined weight of 26.7 per cent in the index of industrial production, during the April-June quarter was also slow at 6.9 per cent as against 7.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2006-07, according to government

data released on Friday.

Barring electricity, every other industry -- petroleum refinery products, coal, cement and finished steel -- recorded a slow growth in June.

The sixth industry -- crude oil production -- saw a decline in June by 1.8 per cent to stand at 27,74,000 tons compared to 28,26,000 tons a year ago. Electricity, which has the largest weight of over 10 per cent in IIP, however, grew by 6.8 per cent in June compared to 4.9 per cent in the same month last year.