Growth in factory output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), was 5.3 per cent in April last year.
The manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 per cent of the index, grew barely 0.1 per cent, as against 5.7 per cent in April 2011, according to the official data released today. The capital goods output declined by 16.3 per cent as against a growth of 6.6 per cent in the same month last year.
Mining output contracted by 3.1 per cent in April, as against growth of 1.6 per cent in the same month a year ago.
The slowdown in industrial production is likely to put pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut lending rates at its mid-quarterly review on June 18. However, consumer goods production showed a faster growth rate of 5.2 per cent in April, compared to 3.2 per cent in the same month last year.
The consumer durables segment also expanded by 5 per cent in April, as against 1.6 per cent in the same month last year. Power generation witnessed a slower growth of 4.6 per cent during April, compared to 6.5 per cent in the same month a year ago.
In all, 12 of the 22 industry groups in the manufacturing sector have shown positive growth during April as compared to the same month a year ago.
The output of basic goods went up by only 2.3 per cent in April, as against 7.1 per cent in the same month last year. However, intermediate goods witnessed a contraction of 1.4 per cent as against a 3.9 per cent growth in April last year.
The consumer non-durable goods output grew by a faster 5.4 per cent in April, compared to 4.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the IIP growth figure for the 2011-12 fiscal was revised to 2.8 per cent, over the previous fiscal, from 2.4 per cent announced last month.
Further, the statement said the industry group `Publishing, Printing and Reproduction of Recorded Media` has shown the highest growth of 52.7 per cent, followed by 29.4 per cent in `Medical, precision & optical instruments, watches and clocks` and 21.4 per cent in `Radio, TV and Communication Equipment and Apparatus`.
On the other hand, the industry group `Electric Machinery and apparatus` has shown a negative growth of 49.2 per cent followed by 14.9 per cent in `Office, Accounting and Computing Machinery` and 9.1 per cent in `Wearing apparel; dressing and dyeing of fur`.