SME Times News Bureau | 28 Oct, 2009
Six core industries logged a growth of 4 percent in September and 5 percent in the first six months this fiscal, official data released on Wednesday showed.

September's growth in the core sector -- comprising crude oil, refined petroleum fuel, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel sectors -- was the same as that logged in the like month last year.

However, the April-September growth this financial year was more than the 3.4 percent logged during the corresponding period last year, data released by the commerce and industry ministry showed.

Of the sectors under review, crude oil production declined 0.5 percent in September as against 0.4 percent fall in the corresponding month last year.

In the first six months since April, production registered a decline of 1.2 percent, compared to a decline of 0.8 percent during the same period last fiscal.

The petroleum refinery sector grew 3.4 percent this September, up from the 2.8 percent growth registered in the corresponding month last year.

However, in the first two quarters, production in the sector declined 3.6 percent, less than the 4.5 percent decline in the like period last year.

Coal production increased to 6.5 percent in September and 11.6 percent during April-September, compared to 11.2 percent and 8 percent, respectively, in the comparative periods last year.

Electricity generation was similarly up at 7.5 percent in September compared to 4.4 percent the same month last year, while it grew 6.8 percent in the first fiscal six months compared to 2.6 percent in the year-ago period.

The ailing cement sector too registered growth, expanding production by 6.5 percent in September and 12.3 percent during April-September. Last year, the growth was 8.1 percent and 12.3 percent respectively in the corresponding periods.

Production of finished carbon steel, however, declined 0.4 percent in September as against a growth of 2.1 percent in the like month last year.

April-September growth too fell to 3 percent as against 3.3 percent a year ago.