India's industrial production slows to 6.3 per cent in April

Industrial production in the country grew at a slower rate of 6.3 per cent in April 2011 as per quick estimates under the revised series (2004-05=100).

Industrial production as per the old series has shown an even greater fall at 4.4 per cent in April 2011 against the 7.3 per cent growth recorded in March 2011.

The general index of industrial production (IIP) for April 2011 stood at 167.8, up 6.3 per cent compared to the level in April 2010. The country's industrial output grew at 8.2 per cent during the financial year 2010-11, data released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) showed.
 
Production indices for the mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors stood at 129.1, 178.0 and 146.0, respectively, during April 2011, with the corresponding growth rates of 2.2 per cent, 6.9 per cent and 6.4 per cent, compared to the level in April 2010.

The annual year-on-year growth of the three sectors during April-March 2010-11 stood at 5.2 per cent, 8.9 per cent and 5.5 per cent, respectively, which moved the overall IIP growth rate to 8.2 per cent.

Sixteen out of the 22 industry groups in the manufacturing sector have shown positive growth during April 2011 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The industry group 'office, accounting and computing machinery' showed the highest growth rate of 96.5 per cent, followed by 'motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers' 22.9 per cent and 'fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment' 22.3 per cent. On the other hand, the industry group 'furniture, manufacturing etc' has shown a negative growth of 15 per cent, followed by 'wood and products of wood and cork except furniture and articles of straw and plating materials' 13.5 per cent.

Under user-based classification, capital goods production showed the highest year-on-year growth rate of 14.5 per cent in April 2011, followed by basic goods (7.3 per cent) and intermediates (3.4 per cent).