Question : Unavailability of Skilled Manpower

(a) the approximate number of employees working in renewable sector in the country presently;
(b) whether as per recent study by the Council for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), unavailability of skilled manpower was one of the biggest challenges in meeting the ambitious target of 1,75,000 MW of renewable energy by 2022 that India has set itself;
(c) whether the study has also noted the quality of existing courses was mostly poor and did not match industry needs/standards;
(d) if so, the details of the study and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
(e) whether Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) has initiated a new crop of professionals in the country, and if so, the target fixed by the SCGJ to train the professionals during 2016-17?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR POWER, COAL & NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
(INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a): Approximately 98,000 employees are working in four major areas of renewable energy i.e. Solar, Wind, Biomass and Small Hydro Power.

(b),(c)&(d): Being an emerging field with tremendous growth potential, skill gaps in renewable energy sector pertaining to research and development (R&D), project development, consultancy, manufacturing, construction and installation, operation and maintenance and marketing besides project management were identified in a study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry for the Ministry in its report “Human Resource Development Strategies for Indian Renewable Energy Sector” in 2010 as also in the February, 2016 issue brief entitled “Filling the Skill Gap in India’s Clean Energy Market: Solar Energy Focus” of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
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To address the above mentioned skill gaps, a comprehensive Human Resource Development Programme was initiated, wherein standard course and training modules suiting to industry requirement are developed. The Electronics Sector Skill Council, Power Sector Skill Council and Skill Council for Green Jobs, have undertaken the task of developing National Occupational Standards (NOSs) and Qualification Packs (QPs) in consultation with the industry.

(e): The role of Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) is to capture the skilling needs for both service users and manufacturers/ service providers within the sector and implement a roadmap for a nation-wide, industry led collaborative skills development initiative. So far, SCGJ has prepared qualification packs for Three job roles and has set a target of training 28,800 professionals during 2016-17.
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