India's infrastructure sector growth picks up in January

India's infrastructure sector growth remained solid in January as compared to the previous month, as Petroleum Refinery, Cement and Electricity sub-segments saw improvement, data released by the Government showed. The core sector growth, as measured by the index of six key infrastructure industries, stood at 7.1% in January 2011 versus 6.1% in December, the Commerce & Industry Ministry said. The Index of six core industries, having a combined weight of 26.7% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), stood at 295.6 in January 2011. Infrastructure sector growth stood at 9.8% in January 2010. December's reading was revised to 6.1% as against the preliminary estimate of 6.6%.



Petroleum refinery production registered a growth of 8.7% in January 2011 compared to 8.3% in the previous month. Cement production rose by 1.8% in January 2011 compared to a decline of 2.2% in December 2010. Electricity generation grew by an impressive 9.3% in January 2011 versus 4.8% in the previous month. Finished Steel production registered a growth of 8.2% in January 2011 as against 8.5% in the preceding month. Crude oil production registered a growth of 10.8% in January 2011 compared to 15.8% in December 2010. Coal output contracted by 1.2% in January 2011 versus 3% in December 2010.

During April-January 2010-11, six core sector industries registered a growth of 5.6% as against 5.5% during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.