Output of the eight core infrastructure sectors increased 4.4 per cent in May 2015 (year-on-year), the fastest in six months, following two months of contraction.
The growth was driven mainly by expansion in production of refinery products, coal and electricity, according to provisional data released by the Commerce & Industry Ministry on Tuesday.
Cement, steel, fertiliser and crude oil, too, posted increases, although at lower rates. Natural gas was the only item that suffered a contraction in production during the month.
The eight core industries account for about 38 per cent of the country’s industrial production.
In April and March this year, the eight sectors had contracted by 0.4 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively because of poor performance of the electricity, cement, refinery products and fertiliser sectors.
As per the latest data, in May, coal production increased by 7.8 per cent, petroleum refinery production rose 7.9 per cent and electricity generation was 5.5 per cent higher. Crude oil production posted a lower growth of 0.8 per cent, fertiliser increased by 1.3 per cent while steel and cement, both rose by 2.6 per cent.
The production of natural gas contracted 3.1 per cent during the month.
The cumulative growth of the eight core sectors during April-May 2015-16 was 2.1 per cent.
Last fiscal, the eight core industries posted a growth of 3.5 per cent, while the year before growth was higher at 4.2 per cent.