The output of eight key infrastructure sectors slowed down to a five-month low of 2.9 per cent in February against 7.1 per cent growth registered a year ago, according to official data released on Friday.
On a monthly basis, the growth rate in the production of these sectors was lower than the 5.1 per cent expansion recorded in January.
The previous low level of growth at 2.4 per cent was recorded in September.
In February, production of crude oil and natural gas recorded a negative growth.
The production growth of coal, refinery products, steel and electricity moderated to 1.7 per cent, 0.8 per cent, 5.6 per cent, and 2.8 per cent, respectively, against 11.6 per cent, 2.6 per cent, 9.4 per cent and 7.6 per cent in February last year.
However, fertiliser and cement output rose to 10.2 per cent and 10.5 per cent, respectively, during the month.
The growth of the eight core sectors was 4.4 per cent during April-February this fiscal. It was 7.8 per cent in the same period last fiscal.
Fiscal deficit at 85.8%
The Centre’s fiscal deficit touched 85.8 per cent of the annual target by the end of February 2025, according to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on Friday.
In actual terms, the fiscal deficit — the gap between expenditure and revenue — was ₹13,46,852 crore during the April-February 2024-25 period.
The deficit was 86.5 per cent of revised estimates (RE) of 2023-24 in the year-ago period.
The CGA data showed that the central government’s tax revenue (net) was ₹20 lakh crore or 78.8 per cent of the RE of 2024-25. It was at 79.6 per cent during the corresponding year of the last financial year.