India's February industrial output up 5 percent

Industrial activity in the country, measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), registered a 5 percent growth during February 2015 as compared to a 2.6 percent rise in the previous month.

The IIP grew by 1.7 percent during December 2014, while it increased by 3.8 percent in November 2014. The IIP had declined by 2 percent in February, 2014. The cumulative growth for April-February 2014-15 stood at 2.8 percent while the figure for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal stood at a negative 0.1 percent.

The gain in the month under review came mainly due to the higher output of manufacturing and mining sectors. In February, the manufacturing sector grew by 5.2 percent from a decline of 3.9 percent in the corresponding month of 2014. The mining sector grew by 2.5 percent from an increase of 2.3 percent in the corresponding month of last year.

However, electricity sector rose 5.9 percent over the 11.5 percent increase in February 2014. Cumulatively, the manufacturing sector grew by 2.2 percent in April-February, 2014-15 from a decline of 0.7 percent in the corresponding period of 2013-14. The mining sector grew cumulatively by 1.5 percent and electricity sector rose 9.1 percent.

Manufacturing of basic, capital, intermediate, consumer and consumer non-durables goods showed growth during the month under review. Production of basic goods grew by 5 percent, while capital goods was up 8.8 percent, intermediate goods rose by 1.1 percent. Consumer goods production growth in the month under review was up 5.2 percent, while consumer non-durables goods zoomed by 10.7 percent. However, consumer durables goods production declined by 3.4 percent.