Infrastructure industries registered a 6.9 per cent growth in August 2002 as against 1.3 per cent August 2001. The growth rate was, however, higher in July 2002 at 9.3 per cent.
While cement, finished steel and coal pulled up the core sector growth in August 2002, crude petroleum, petroleum refinery products and electricity performed only marginally better compared to August 2001.
The six infrastructure industries covered under the index posted an average growth of 6.7 per cent in the first five months of 2002-03 compared to an average growth of only 1 per cent during April-August, 2001-02.
Finished steel grew 13.2 per cent in August 2002 as against a 4.4 per cent fall in production in August 2001. The sector has been showing a consistent growth since the beginning of 2002-03.
The cement sector, which had grown 23.5 per cent in July 2002 has reported a 12.2 per cent gro-wth in August 2002 as against a 6.9 per cent growth in August, 2001.
The coal sector
