Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Eight core sectors registered negative growth of 0.1 percent in March while production growth slowed down to 3.5 percent in 2014-15 against 4.2 pervious in previous year, government data showed on Thursday.
The infrastructure sector comprises coal, crude oil, oil refining, natural gas, steel, cement, electricity and fertilisers.
The eight sectors contribute 38 percent to the overall industrial production, a parameter that the Reserve Bank takes into account while framing its monetary policy.
Decline in output of crude oil and natural gas pulled down the growth of eight core industries to 17-month low of 1.4 percent in February.
Coal production increased by 6.0 percent while its cumulative index during April to March, 2014-15 increased by 8.2 percent over corresponding period of previous year.
Crude Oil production increased by 1.7 percent while its cumulative index during April to March, 2014-15 declined by 0.9 percent over the corresponding period of previous year.
Petroleum Refinery production declined by 1.3 percent and steel production declined by 4.4 percent in March.
