The eight key infrastructure sectors recorded robust output growth in November 2011 at 6.8 per cent, much higher than the 0.3 per cent growth seen in previous month and 3.7 per cent growth seen in November 2010.
This strong rebound in growth of the eight key infrastructure sectors, which have a weightage of 38 per cent in the overall index of industrial production, is a pointer to better industrial production performance in November 2011, say economy watchers. The official data for IIP performance in November this year is likely to be released in the second week of January.
However, the core industries output recorded a growth of 4.6 per cent in April-November, lower than the 5.6 percent growth seen in the same period last year. This performance seems to have been largely weighed down by modest growth rates seen in October 2011.
Cement, electricity and refinery products recorded a stellar growth. The maximum growth was witnessed in Cement at 16.6 per cent as against a contract of 4.3 percent in November last year.
Electricity and steel output grew by 14.1 per cent and 5.1 per cent against 3.5 per cent and 7.6 per cent, respectively, in the same month last year.
Coal and petroleum refinery products grew 4.9 per cent and 11.2 per cent in November 2011.
However, crude oil and natural gas output contracted by 5.6 per cent and 10.1 per cent from a positive growth of 17 per cent and 5.5 per cent, year-on-year, respectively.
India's IIP had registered a negative growth of 5.1 percent in October 2011, raising concern among policymakers and compelling the Reserve Bank of India to take a pause on its monetary tightening stance in its recent mid-quarter policy review.