Infrastructure Sector Growth At 3-Month High Of 5% In September

India’s infrastructure sector recorded a growth rate of 5 percent in September - the highest in three months - on account of healthy performance by cement, steel and refinery products.

The growth rate of the eight infrastructure sectors - coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity - in September 2015 was 3.7 percent.

The core sectors, which contribute 38 percent to total industrial production, had expanded by 3.2 percent in August.

As per official data released today, the cumulative growth of the sector during the April-September period of the fiscal was 4.6 percent against 2.6 percent in the same period last fiscal.

Production of cement grew by 5.5 percent, steel by 16.3 percent and refinery products by 9.3 percent in September this year.

Growth in fertilizer and electricity generation fell to 2 percent and 2.2 percent in September 2016, from 18.3 percent and 11.4 per cent respectively in September 2015.

Production of coal, crude oil and natural gas, however, contracted by 5.8 percent, 4.1 percent and 5.5 percent during the month under review.