Industrial production grew at 8.6% in February 2008 when compared with a growth of 11% in February 2007, but belied apprehensions of a major slowdown after the dismal figures for the previous month.Industrial growth, as measured by the index of industrial production (IIP), was much higher than 5.3% in January, and even reversed the negative ouput growth witnessed in consumer durables goods.The government also revised the January IIP data to a growth of 5.8%.For the first 11 months of the last fiscal, industrial growth stood at 8.7% as against 11.2% in the year-ago period, according to data released by the government today.Electricity generation grew by 9.8% in February from a low of 3.3% in February 2007.Manufacturing, which has the highest weight of around 80% in IIP, grew at 8.6% in February 208 when compared with 12% in February, 2007. It was higher than 5.9% in January.Consumer durable goods sector, which witnessed a decline of 3.1% in January, witnessed a growth of 3.3% in February.
