Date:13/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/13/stories/2005041302600300.htm

Back Industrial growth in Feb falls to 4.9 pc

Our Bureau

New Delhi , April 12

THE index for industrial production fell to 4.9 per cent during February 2005 compared to 8.3 per cent registered in February 2004.

However, for the April-February 2004-05 period, the overall index for industrial production stood at 8.1 per cent against 6.9 per cent during April-February 2003-04.

Negative growth in mining and electricity pulled down the industrial growth during February this year, according to an official release.

The growth in capital goods production in February this year was only 4.5 per cent against 27.8 per cent in the same month last year.

However, the consumer goods sector has shown improvement with a growth of 11.2 per cent in February this year compared to three per cent in February last year.

The corresponding growth rates for the basic goods, intermediate goods and consumers durables segments too have gone down from 10.3 per cent, 6.2 per cent and 17.4 per cent in February 2004 to 0.8 per cent, 2.4 per cent and 14.2 per cent, respectively.