Infrastructure growth slips in July; Govt disappointed

Infrastructure growth slips in July; Govt disappointed.
New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) Indian infrastructure sectors" gallop reduced to a trot in July, compounding the government"s disappointment with a slowdown in industrial production that signals a moderation in the country"s overall economic growth. The growth of six core infrastructure sectors, which contribute slightly more than a quarter to industrial output, fell sharply to 6.3 per cent in July from 10.9 per cent in the year-ago month. Cumulative performance during April-July also dipped to 6.1 per cent from 8.7 per cent in the same period of the last fiscal, according to official data released today. All six sectors -- cement, steel, coal, power, crude oil and petroleum refining -- recorded a slower growth during the month as higher interest rates curbed demand for manufactured goods like automobiles and consumer durables, besides housing and commercial real estate.