New Delhi, Sep 11 - Further signs of recovery in India's industry emerged Friday with the latest official data indicating a 6.8 percent growth in July over the like month last year.

Notably, the manufacturing output rose 6.8 percent during the month, as per the data on the index of industrial production released by the Central Statistical Organisation here.

The data showed that while mining output was up 9.9 percent, that for electricity rose 4.2 percent. Output of capital goods and consumer goods sectors expanded respectively by two percent and 8.8 percent during the period.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the positive growth would continue in the next few months, but it may fail to compensate for the shortfall in exports.

'It will pick up. The trend is that it is picking up,' Mukherjee said at an interactive meeting with the Indian Women's Press Corps.

'Steel is picking, cement, consumers goods industry are picking up. Housing activity has started that will consume more steel and cement and construction materials,' the minister said.

He, however, cautioned this would not be enough to improve the growth rate further.