News In Brief

Soviet industrial growth rate is best in 5 years

Soviet industrial production rose by 4.1 percent during the first 11 months of this year, putting the country on course for the best annual growth rate for five years, according to the Central Statistics Board.

The rate indicated that Soviet industry should achieve an annual figure for 1983 of at least 4 percent. Some Western economic experts, however, have said the figure will be artificially inflated by internal price rises over the past year. Informed Soviet sources said that in real terms the growth rate was lower, probably a little over 2 percent.