India to fall short of power generation target

Out of the 78,000 MW of capacity addition during the 11th Five-Year Plan, India will fall short by as much as 17 percent, a member of the country's top policy making body said Thursday.

The bulk of the shortfall will be because several central power projects havent't been completed, said Planning Commission member Saumitra Chaudhuri.

"Out of the 78,000 MW of capacity addition targeted, we will be able to achieve only between 65-70,000 MW. The biggest shortfall is from government -- mostly centre-operated projects," Chaudhuri said at a seminar organised by the Economist Intelligence unit.

Calling for efficiencies to be built into government projects, Chaudhuri said that in comparison, private players would exceed their targets during the plan period ending 2012.

"The private players will exceed their targets because they have an incentive. If they finish early, they can start production early and generate revenues."