Infrastructure sector records 8.5 p.c. growth

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 25. The infrastructure sector has shown an improved growth of 8.5 per cent in 1999-2000 as against 2.9 per cent in the previous year.

According to the Industry Ministry's review of the six infrastructure industries, five have shown positive growth while crude petroleum recorded a decline of 2.2 per cent during the year.

The industries monitored by the Ministry include electricity, steel, petroleum refinery products, coal, cement and crude petroleum.

These account for a total weight of 26.68 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production.

The Ministry's review shows electricity generation has risen by 7.1 per cent as against 6.6 per cent in the previous year.

This is largely due to better performance of thermal plants which improved generation by 9.2 per cent while hydel output fell by 2.6 per cent. Coal output rose moderately by 3.3 per cent though this was significant since it had actually fallen by 2 per cent in 1998-99.

In contrast steel production increased substantially by 12.5 per cent compared to 1.3 per cent in the previous year.

The negative growth in crude oil output is a continuation of the previous year's trend when it had fallen by 3.4 per cent. The dip was most marked during March when production fell by 6.6 per cent as compared to the same month last year.

Petroleum refinery products, on the other hand, recorded a steep rise in output of 25.3 per cent as against a moderate rise only 5.2 per cent last year.

This is probably reflecting the commissioning of new refineries. Cement output is also buoyant at 14 per cent as against 5.7 per cent in the previous year.

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Section  : Business
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