Indian power sector to create over 0.4m jobs in 2012-17

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (Business Standard): The fast-growing Indian power sector is projected to create more than 0.4 million jobs to achieve a capacity addition of over 94,000 MW in 12th Five-Year Plan ending March 2017. The investment in the sector during the same period is is pegged at Rs 13.72 lakh crore, according to the Power Ministry. "For a capacity addition of 94,215 MW (including renewable) in the 12th Plan, the additional manpower requirement shall be of the order of 407.67 thousands (4,07,670)," the Power Ministry's Working Group on 12th Plan has said in its report. Out of 0.407 million new workforce, over 0.312 million would be technical people and remaining would be non-technical workers. During the 2012-17 period, the country is anticipated to see a capacity addition of over 75,000 MW, excluding renewable energy sources. As per the report, the total manpower by the end of 12th Plan shall be over 1.425 million people, with technical personnel accounting for 76 per cent of the overall workforce. The power sector would require an investment of more than Rs 13,72,580 crore, including Rs 1,35,100 crore for renewable energy projects, the Working Group noted. In the 12th Plan, the country is expected to see a capacity addition of 63,781 MW from thermal sources-coal and gas-while hydro projects are projected to account for over 9,200 MW.