Minister assures 11,000 MW capacity addition this fiscal

New Delhi, Apr 8 (UNI) Newly appointed Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh today said his priority will be to ensure the addition of 11,000 MW capacity during the current fiscal, as targeted in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

''If 11,000 MW is not added at the end of the second year of the Plan, then I have not done my job,'' Mr Ramesh said in the interaction with the media here after getting additional charge of MoS (Power) in the Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday.

Expressing deep concern over the power sector scenario, the Minister said his predecessors had set ambitious targets, but could not deliver the results.

During the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-07), a target of about 41,000 MW of power was set, but only 23,000 MW was added.

He said the targets were missed for three successive Five Year Plans. Against the target of 31,000 MW in the Eighth Plan, the capacity addition was 16,000 MW.

In the first year of the Eleventh Plan (2007-12), 9,200 MW was added, Mr Ramesh said, adding that the second year will see 12,000 MW.

UNI SBA/RT MP RK1931