Infra growth rises to 7.2% in March

Six core infrastructure industries grew by a healthy 7.2 per cent in March against 3.3 per cent in the year-ago period, reflecting firm industrial recovery.

Six core infrastructure industries grew by a healthy 7.2 per cent in March against 3.3 per cent in the year-ago period, reflecting firm industrial recovery.

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The key sectors — crude, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel — also showed marked improvement in March when compared to the 4.7 per cent in February.

Finished steel with 9.2 per cent expansion led the recovery, reversing a negative 1.8 per cent in March last year. Coal, electricity and cement grew by 7.8 per cent each against 5.3 per cent, 6.3 per cent and 10.1 per cent, respectively. Crude oil production went up by 3.5 per cent from a negative 2.3 per cent.