New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) India’s industrial production clocked a 4.1 per cent growth in March this year compared to the same month of the previous year, propelled by the manufacturing and mining sectors, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics on Tuesday.

The manufacturing sector, which accounts for more than three-fourths of the index of industrial production (IIP), posted a 4.3 per cent growth during March compared to the same month of the previous year. The sector plays a key role in providing quality jobs to the young graduates passing out from the country’s engineering institutes and universities.

Within the manufacturing sector, 14 out of 23 industry groups have recorded a positive growth in March 2026 over the same month of the previous year. The top three positive contributors for the month are the manufacture of basic metals, which include steel products, recording an 8.6 per cent growth, followed by motor vehicles with an 18.1 per cent surge, and machinery and equipment, which includes tractors (at 11.2 per cent) in the third spot.

The mining sector posted a growth of 5.5 per cent during March, while electricity generation proved to be a laggard with a mere 0.5 per cent growth, which pulled down the overall figure of industrial growth for the month from 5.2 per cent in February.

The figures on use-based classification show that the production of capital goods, which comprise machines used in factories, jumped by a robust 14.6 per cent in March this year. This segment reflects the real investment taking place in the economy, which has a multiplier effect on the creation of jobs and incomes going ahead.

There was also a 5.3 per cent increase in the production of consumer durables such as electronic goods, refrigerators, and TVs during February, reflecting the higher consumer demand for these items amid rising incomes.

The infrastructure and construction goods sector also recorded a growth of 6.7 per cent during the month, driven by the government’s big-ticket investments in highways, ports and railway projects, which create large-scale employment and drive up the overall economic growth rate.

–IANS

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