The index of core sector industrial production, which tracks the performance of six major industrial groups in the country, grew at a slower pace of 5.1 per cent against 5.8 per cent in the same month last year.

The index of six core (infrastructure) industries having a combined weight of 26.7 per cent in the index of industrial production (with base 1993-94) stood at 237.9 (provisional) in September 2008 and registered a growth of 5.1 per cent (provisional) compared to a growth of 5.8 per cent in September 2007, a government release said. 

For the April-September period of the current fiscal, the six core sector industries registered a growth of 3.9 per cent (provisional) as against 6.9 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Crude oil production registered a negative growth of 0.4 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to a growth rate of (-) 0.7 per cent in September 2007. For the April-September period, crude oil production registered a growth of (-) 0.8 per cent (provisional) compared to 0.7 per cent during the same period of 2007-08.

Petroleum refinery production registered a growth of 2.8 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to growth of 6.9 per cent in September 2007. During the April-September period, petroleum refinery production registered a growth of 4.5 per cent (provisional) compared to 9.8 per cent during the same period of 2007-08.

Coal production registered a growth of 10.7 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to growth rate of 6.3 per cent in September 2007. For April-September, production grew by 7.9 per cent (provisional) compared to an increase of 2.8 per cent during the same period of 2007-08. 

Electricity generation registered a growth of 4.4 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to a growth rate of 4.3 per cent in September 2007. For April-September 2008-09, electricity generation grew 2.6 per cent (provisional) compared to 7.6 per cent during the same period of 2007-08.

Cement production registered a growth of 7.9 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to 5.4 per cent in September 2007. For the April-September period, production grew by 6.0 per cent (provisional) compared to an increase of 8.7 per cent during the same period of 2007-08.
 
Finished (carbon) steel production registered a growth of 5.8 per cent (provisional) in September 2008 compared to 9.5 per cent (estimated) in September 2007. For April-September production grew by 5.3 per cent (provisional) compared to an increase of 7.7 per cent during the same period of 2007-08.