GDP growth drops to 7.1 per cent in July-Sept quarter

New Delhi: India’s economy grew at 7.1 per cent in July-September, lowest in three quarters, but still remained ahead of China to retain the tag of the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant prices (2011-12) had grown at 6.3 per cent in July-September quarter of the last fiscal, according to government data released Friday. 

The size of the GDP in the second quarter of 2018-19 is estimated at Rs 33.98 lakh crore, as against Rs 31.72 lakh crore a year ago, showing a growth rate of 7.1 per cent, as per a statement of the Central Statistics Office (CSO). 

Indian economy grew at 8.2 per cent in April-June quarter of this fiscal. The GDP growth was 7.7 per cent in January-March quarter while it was at 7 per cent in October-December. 

The Chinese economy had expanded at the rate of 6.5 per cent in the July-September period this year. India’s GVA (gross value added) at Constant (2011-2012) Prices for second quarter this fiscal is estimated at Rs 31.40 lakh crore, as against Rs 29.38 lakh crore year ago, showing a growth rate of 6.9 percent over the corresponding quarter of previous year. 

The CSO said that mining and quarrying output has declined by 2.4 per cent in the quarter from a growth of 6.9 per cent in year-ago period. 

However, the manufacturing activities expanded at the rate of 7.4 per cent in the quarter under review up from 7.1 per cent in the year-ago quarter. 

The construction sector too showed an improvement by recording a growth of 7.8 per cent as against 3.1 per cent earlier. The farm sector too grew at a higher rate of 3.8 per cent in the quarter as against 2.6 per cent a year ago.