Date:04/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/04/stories/2005040401770500.htm

Back `Satisfactory growth by manufacturing sector'

Our Bureau

New Delhi , April 3

THE domestic manufacturing sector reported satisfactory growth with 34 sectors recording "excellent growth rate of over 20 per cent" out of 134 sectors reporting production.

According to the ASCON survey carried out by the Associations Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry, for April-March 2004-05 over the previous year period, 43 sectors recorded a high growth rate of 10-20 per cent and 49 sectors registered moderate growth rate of 0-10 per cent. Eight sectors reported negative growth, said a CII statement.

During the corresponding period last year, only 28 sectors had recorded excellent growth, 38 recorded high growth, 50 sectors reported moderate growth and 19 sectors had registered negative growth.

The sectors in the excellent growth category included diesel, petrol, sponge iron, switchgears, auto components, nylon filament yarn, fluid power, argon gas, air & gas compressors, boilers, diesel engines, textile machinery, transmission line tower, rubber footwear, housing finance, edible oils and cellular services were in the excellent growth category.

Paints, capacitors, abrasives, forgings, industrial valves, machine tools, pumps, transformers, biscuit, and tourism were all in the high growth category, it added.

Of the 68 sectors reporting sales, 16 registered excellent growth, 23 registered high growth and 22 reported moderate growth, while 7 sectors recorded low or negative growth. During the corresponding period last year, 15 sectors recorded excellent sales growth, 20 recorded high growth rate, and 23 recorded moderate growth rates while 9 sectors had registered negative growth.

The survey reveals that sponge iron, auto components, electronic components, fluid power, diesel engines, textile machinery, industrial furnace, tractors, transmission line towers, housing finance and cellular services were some of the sectors in the excellent growth category. Those in the high growth category include asbestos cement, natural gas, paints, abrasives, pumps, motor cycles. Soda ash, polyester filament yarn and newsprint recorded negative sales growth.

According to the CII-ASCON survey, the manufacturing industry has remained buoyant on the export front. The latest survey indicates that 20 sectors have shown excellent growth in exports. There were 17 sectors in the high growth category, 10 sectors recorded moderate growth, while 9 sectors registered a fall in exports.