Power generation figures were unrealistic, says Montek

NAGPUR: Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, today said it would be an achievement if India could achieve capacity addition of 52,000 MW of power generation at the end of 11th five-year-plan in 2012 despite much higher projections earlier.

The projections for power sector in the 11th plan were "unrealistic", and had to be scaled down, he said here.

At the outset of 11th plan, target was 78,000 MW of capacity addition, but within two years it was scaled down to 62,000 MW, and now even if the country could add 52,000 MW, it would be a big "achievement", Ahluwalia said here.

He was here to take part in a function organised by the media group Lokmat. Chairman of the group and MP, Vijay Darda, was also present.

Speaking at the interactive session on `Growing disparity despite growing GDP', Ahluwalia said availability of coal for thermal power generation was a crucial factor for the sector.

Today, India imports 40 million tonnes of coal, which may go up to as much as 250 million tonnes in future, he said.

On the political unrest in middle-east, he said there was no imminent threat to Indian economy from the due to these factors unless it affected petrol-production and prices.