Patna, July 16: Amid economic slowdown, the growth story of Bihar continues to spring pleasant surprises. The quick estimates of growth rate of gross state domestic product (GSDP) on constant prices for 2011-12 has turned out to be the best in the past five years.

While advance estimates, the data for which were released in February this year, had projected the GSDP growth rate at 13.13, the quick estimates released after the compilation of actual data say that the state economy grew at a rate of 16.71 per cent in comparison to its performance in the previous fiscal.

Going by the value terms, Bihar’s economy is worth Rs 1,51,866 crore at constant prices. While primary sector of the state economy is worth Rs 34,111 crore, the secondary sector is worth Rs 29,695 crore. The absolute value of tertiary sector is Rs 88,060 crore.

Primary sector, on which above 80 per cent of the state population depends, comprises agriculture, forestry, fishery, mining and quarrying. Things like manufacturing, construction, electricity, gas and water supply come under the secondary sector and the remaining activities like transport and communication, banking and insurance, real estate, trade, hotel and restaurant come under the tertiary sector.

Attributing the growth rate to the contribution of agriculture and animal husbandry sector, a senior government official associated with the process of data generation, said: “While working out the advance estimates we took into account projections for agriculture and allied sectors’ growth pattern of past years, but actual data belied our projections as the growth was much beyond our expectation.”

Going by quick estimates, the agriculture and animal husbandry sector registered a growth of 17.16 per cent — the highest in the past five years.

According to the agriculture department statistics, the foodgrain production in 2011-12 jumped to 169.69 lakh metric tonnes in 2011-12 from 103.47 lakh metric tonnes a year earlier. Rice production contributed the most. From 31.02 lakh metric tonnes in 2010-11, it jumped to 83.05 lakh metric tonnes in 2011-12, revealed the agriculture department records.