The government on Tuesday said it is targeting to add 5,653 MW to its power generation capacity in its 100-day programme, out of which 2,300 MW is already in place.
"We have set a target of 5,653 MW capacity addition in the first 100 days of this government. We have already achieved 2,300 MW... We hope to achieve the target," Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters in New Delhi.
The power ministry has added a meagre 15,000 MW capacity out of the targeted 78,700 MW, during the XIth Plan period (2007-12). "With proper planning and time bound implementation, we can achieve the target," Shinde said.
"The task before us is difficult since the XIth plan target of capacity addition is more than three times the actual capacity addition during the Xth Plan (2002-07)," he added.
The power ministry would focus on various issues including its flagship rural electrification scheme -- Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, reduction of transmission and distribution losses and Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses.
"We are particularly concerned about high AT&C losses, commercial viability and financial health of distribution utilities, the utilities have to augment their anti-theft measures for reducing these losses," he added.
Under RGGVY, 62,000 villages, 70 lakh households including 60 lakh BPL households, have been electrified.
The power sector is in dire need of skilled personnel. "There is a shortage of skilled manpower in the sector, it (the power sector) needs large amount of skilled personnel," Planning Commission Member B K Chaturvedi.
So far, 38 Industrial Training Institutes have been adopted in 20 states and the process of adoption of 13 ITIs is underway.
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