New Delhi, April 7 (Inditop.com) Power generation will fall short of the target of 78,700 MW set for the current five-year plan ending March 2012, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said Wednesday.

He said around 61,000 MW would be generated by the end of the plan period.

“We will likely meet just over three-fourth of our electricity capacity addition target during the current plan. The target which was given to me initially was very big, but I accepted it,” Shinde told reporters here on the sidelines of the India Energy Congress conference.

According to the minister, the country added 21,000 MW during the first three years of the current plan (2007-12).

India has set ambitious goals to increase power generation to feed its growing economy. But shortages in equipment and manpower are hurting its plans.

“We will add another 40,000 MW over the next two years. We are now ready to add 100,000 MW during the next five-year plan (2012-17),” he added.