India’s industrial output grew by 2.5 percent in March, as against a contraction of 2.8 percent in the corresponding month of 2012, government data showed on Friday.

According to data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the index of industrial production (IIP) logged a meagre 0.6 percent growth year-on-year in February. IIP grew by 2.4 percent in January.

On a consolidated basis, IIP grew by just one percent in the April-March period of 2012-13, from a growth of 2.9 percent in the corresponding period of 2011-12.

The monthly growth in IIP came on the back of healthy performance of manufacturing and electricity sectors. But the mining sector decelerated. Manufacturing production registered a growth of 3.2 percent during the month under review from a deceleration of 3.6 percent in the corresponding month last year. In February, the sector registered a growth of 2.2 percent.

On a cumulative basis for April-March 2012-13, manufacturing output stood at 1.2 percent, from a growth of 3 percent in the like period of 2011-12.

The electricity sector too fared well, with a growth of 3.5 percent, from an increase of 2.7 percent in March 2012. In February, the sector did not fare well, falling 3.2 percent from a healthy increase of eight percent in the corresponding period of 2012.

Cumulatively, the sector’s output increased by 4 percent from a healthy 8.2 percent during the corresponding period of 2011-12.

However, mining output in March declined by 2.9 percent from a deceleration of 1.1 percent in the corresponding month last year. Mining output in February had declined by a massive 8.1 percent from an increase of 2.3 percent in the corresponding month of last year.

Cumulative mining production was in the negative. The output during April-March 2012-13 stood at a decline of 2.5 percent from a negative 1.9 percent.

Segment-wise growth was witnessed in cigarettes (28.4 percent), woollen carpets (83.1 percent), apparel (175 percent), leather garments (49.9 percent), aviation turbine fuel (33.1 percent) air conditioner-room (37.9 percent), conductor, aluminium (45.00 percent) and cable, rubber insulated (247.3 percent).

Segment-wise, high negative growth was reported in synthetic yarn (-24.8 percent), razor blades (-29.4 percent), heat exchangers (-27.2 percent), sugar machinery (-64.6 percent), plastic machinery (-22.5 percent) and ship building and repairs (-30.3 percent).