New Delhi, Sept. 26: The infrastructure sector posted a slower growth rate of 5.7 per cent in August compared with 6.3 per cent in the same month last year, primarily due to a 16.1 per cent drop in crude oil production.

A whopping 17.8 per cent growth in cement and 10.9 per cent in coal sectors, along with a 7 per cent growth in electricity and steel production have helped the overall growth in the six core sectors recover from a near zero level in July.

The growth rate of cement and coal sectors were 1.1 per cent and 1 per cent respectively in August 2004.

The cumulative growth rate in the infrastructure sector during April-August also declined to 5.1 per cent against 6.5 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

The 16.1 per cent fall in crude output in August could be partly attributed to the blaze at ONGC’s Mumbai High North oilfields on July 27 that had led to a production loss of about 110,000 barrels per day.

Crude oil production in August 2004 had gone up by 5.1 per cent.

Petroleum refining production also declined to 2.3 per cent growth during the reporting month compared with 4.4 per cent a year ago.

Power generation was up by 7.7 per cent in August compared with 7.5 per cent a year ago, while finished steel production rose 7.8 per cent to 3.470 mt in August compared with 3.218 mt a year ago.

Cement and coal sectors posted a double-digit growth in August. Cement output was up 17.8 per cent at 11.023 million tonnes (mt) against 9.355 mt in August last year. Total production during April-August grew 11.4 per cent against 3.8 per cent in the same period last fiscal.

Coal output at 29.1 million tonnes was higher than 26.2 mt produced in August 2004.