The composite production
index of six infrastructure
industries, which together
comprise 26.7 per cent
of broader index of industrial
production and is widely perceived
to be a precursor to overall
industrial production,
increased by 3.9 per cent in July,
halting a three-month slide that
pulled down the rate to 3.6 per
cent in June, from 7.3 per cent in
March. The July upturn would
seem fragile when viewed
against the slump in the growth
rate from 6.3 per cent in June to
3.2 per cent in July last fiscal.
The six infra industries expanded
4.5 per cent during April-July,
improving from 4 per cent in this
period a year ago, but less than
4.7 per cent two years ago. The
heavyweight electricity sector,
which is a basic industry input,
generated 3.8 per cent more
power in July and 5.2 per cent
cumulatively. Crude oil and
petroleum refinery output,
growth retardants till recently,
shot up by 15.8 per cent and 13.7
per cent respectively in July;
their four-month aggregate output
also showed 8.4 per cent and
7.3 per cent decent increases.
Coal production recovered with
4.5 per cent increase in July,
though cumulatively it stagnated
(12.4 per cent). Finished steel
(carbon), marked by erratic movement,
rose 2.5 per cent (2.3 per
cent). Cement production
declined in July and increased 5.2
per cent during the first four
months of the current fiscal, less
than half the rate in the corresponding
period a year ago.
Untitled Document
Performance of Six Infrastructure Industries |
|
July |
April-July |
|
2009 |
2010 |
2009 |
2010 |
Crude oil |
-0.4 |
15.8 |
-1 |
8.4 |
Petroleum refinery products |
-14.4 |
13.7 |
-6.9 |
7.3 |
Coal |
10.5 |
4.5 |
12.4 |
0.9 |
Electricity |
3.8 |
3.8 |
5.3 |
5.2 |
Cement |
13.8 |
-0.2 |
12.5 |
5.2 |
Finished steel (carbon) |
4 |
-0.9 |
2.3 |
2.5 |
Average for six industries |
3.2 |
3.9 |
4 |
4.5 |