Infrastructure sector output rises by 5.8% in February, shows govt data

Production of eight infrastructure sectors expanded by 5.8 percent in February against a contraction of 3.3 percent in the same month last year on better show by coal, natural gas, refinery products and cement industries, according to official data released on Thursday. Production of crude oil and fertiliser declined in February this year.

The core sector industries had grown by 4 percent in January. The growth rate of the eight infrastructure sectors -- coal, crude oil, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity -- stood at 11 percent during April-February this fiscal, as against a negative growth rate of 8.1 percent during the same period last fiscal.

According to the data, production of coal rose by 6.6 percent, natural gas by 12.5 per cent, refinery products by 8.8 percent, and cement by 5 percent in February.