Core sector growth dips to 5% in Nov

Infrastructure sector growth declined to 5% in November 2004 as compared to the year-ago period, mainly due to the slowdown in growth in petroleum refining, electricity generation and production of finished steel.

The growth in core sectors - crude petroleum, petroleum refined products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel - was higher between April-November at 5.8% as against 5.4% in the corresponding period in 2003-04, according to official data released here today.

While electricity generation increased 6.8% in April-November 2004 as against 3.2% in the year-ago period, coal prodution moved up 7.2% from 3.1%. Steel output growth, however, declined to 4.4% from 11.9% in April-November 2003.