Stagnant coal production and a slowdown in power, cement and steel sectors lowered overall infrastructure growth to 5.1 per cent in May 2006 as compared to 8.1 per cent in the same month last fiscal.
Overall growth in the six core sectors would have been even lower but for the rebound in crude oil production and petroleum refining. The two sectors rose 1 per cent and 11.9 per cent respectively as against a negative growth of 1.9 per cent and 6 per cent in May 2005, according to government data released on Wednesday.
Coal production stagnated during May 2006 at 30.7 million tonnes, in contrast to a 11.2 per cent growth registered in May 2005, while electricity generation grew by a mere 4.7 per cent from 10.3 per cent a year ago.
Growth in steel production was lower at 6.4 per cent in May this year compared to 11.1 per cent in the same month of last fiscal. Cement production too rose by a much lower rate of 6.3 per cent as against a strong 15.3 per cent last year.
During April-May this fiscal, infrastructure sectors logged a growth rate of 5.9 per cent compared to 7.1 per cent in the corresponding period of 2005-06.
Crude oil production during April-May this year declined by 0.4 per cent as against a decline of 1.2 per cent in the same period last year. Refining throughput was higher by 12.5 per cent as compared to a negative 6.8 per cent last fiscal.
Coal production grew by a mere 1.6 per cent as against 9.7 per cent in April-May 2005-06 and power generation at 5.3 per cent from 6.7 per cent last year.
Cement production rose by a lower 7.5 per cent compared to 13.9 per cent, while steel production grew by 8.9 per cent as against 12.6 per cent in April-May 2005-06.
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