Infra sector growth jumps to 6-month high of 6.6% in October

New Delhi: Infrastructure sector recorded a growth rate of 6.6 percent in October -- the highest in last six months -- on the back of impressive performance by steel and refinery products.

However, growth rate of power generation, fertiliser production and cement output fell considerably on year-on-year basis. Coal production continued to fall for the third straight month.

The growth rate of eight infrastructure sectors -- coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity -- was 3.8 percent in October 2015. It was 5 percent in September 2016.

The core sectors, which contribute 38 percent to the total industrial production, expanded by 4.9 percent in April-October compared to 2.8 percent growth in the similar period of last financial year.

As per the official data released today, steel production jumped 16.9 percent in October against contraction of 5.5 percent in the year-ago period.

The output of refinery products soared by 15.1 percent in October. The sector had declined by 4.4 percent in October last year.

Growth in fertiliser and electricity generation was at 0.8 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively, in October 2016, against 16.8 percent and 13.8 percent, respectively in October 2015.

Coal production declined by 1.6 percent in October as against a growth of 6.6 percent in the year-ago period.

Natural gas and crude oil output during October fell by 1.4 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.