Centre for Power Sector Development (CPSD)

1. Introduction to the Centre for Power Sector Development (CPSD)

Fast development of infrastructure has been recognized as the key ingredient for the projected high economic growth of the country. Deficiencies in infrastructure viz. Roads, Electricity, Drinking Water Supply,Communication and Ports are proving to be major hindrances for achieving the economic development of the country.Out of all these infrastructures, power could be considered as the most essential infrastructure.

Restructuring without proper capacity building and attitudinal change of the employees cannot deliver the desired results. It is therefore felt that YASHADA, which is responsible for capacity building for development of Maharashtra needs to enter into the critical field of capacity building for infrastructure development.

YASHADA has positioned power sector development as a strategic training and research intervention at the Academy through the establishment of the Centre for Power Sector Development, within the campus to facilitate training, research and policy interventions at the State and National levels with Government, PSUs, Corporations, private sector and stakeholders.

The training and applications programmes will focus on power sector concerns with perspectives on planning in rural, urban and infrastructure sectors for officials, non-officials, university academics, PSU representatives and non-government organisations.

Interventions and collaboration are meant to encourage and support the State and Central Government’s departments to develop capacity building programmes for power sector, while ensuing sustainable economic development.

2. Functional Areas

The CPSD has positioned the following functions:

1. Capacity Building and Training Programmes for State Power Utilities especially for speeding up Power Sector Reforms.

2. Establishment of an up-to-date Data Centre and Data Base on Power Sector Reforms.

3. Dissemination of knowledge on Power Sector Reforms to all stakeholders for building up a consensus for Power Sector Reforms by holding workshops, conferences.
4. To take up consultancies on Power Sector especially focused on power Sector Reforms and Capacity Building.

5. To establish a specific focus area on Energy Savings and Sustainable Development

6. To conduct capacity building and training programmes on Rural Electrification and Distribution issues.

3. Objectives

The objectives of the Centre affirm the need for the State and National governments to enable training processes on power sector management and reforms including energy savings and rural electrification. Importantly, the Centre’s objectives are central to the goals of the Academy. Essential goals of the Centre are

(a)   to strengthen YASHADA’s training commitments, and the annual calendar of events, 

(b)   (b) to provide on-the-field information and databases to integrate current case studies in future courses and workshops.

The Centre for Power Sector Development is striving through a series of integrated initiatives, the following:

a)     To develop training programmes and evolve modules on power sector issues with emphasis on power sector development, reforms and rural electrification including project management, information dissemination, consultative projects, energy savings, human resources management and development administration, with emphasis on the rural and urban sector including Training Need Analysis (TNA) for various stakeholders within the sectors.

b)     To train, on a continuous basis, successive groups of government officials, elected representatives, non-governmental organisations and university academics on issues concerning power sector management, power sector development, reforms and rural electrification including project management, information dissemination, consultative projects, energy savings, human resources management.

c)     To develop research facilities, policy advocacy, provide fellowships and resident scholarships to cadre officers and non-governmental organisations on issues concerning the power sector development, reforms and rural electrification including project management, information dissemination, consultative projects, energy savings, human resources management.

d)     To provide a forum for interaction for organisations and individuals including stakeholders to discuss and develop action plans for implementation of recommendations on the power sector development, reforms and rural electrification including project management, information dissemination, consultative projects, energy savings, human resources management.

e)     To develop at YASHADA, an electronic dial-in computer-based network and a geographic information database for government officials and non-officials, non-government agencies and universities, for information on power sector and development administration.

f)       To organise workshops and seminars with emphasis on the power sector development, reforms and rural electrification including project management, information dissemination, consultative projects, energy savings, human resources management, document best practices and recommend interventions and /or changes in related policy issues to the Government of Maharashtra and /or local, state and national agencies.

4. Training Courses conducted

5. Areas proposed to be undertaken

1)     DRUM Project Training courses.

2)     Franchisee in Power Distribution – Training.

3)     Organizational Communication Plan for MAHAGENCO–Training Modules.

4)     1 day National Workshop on ‘Training Needs in Power Sector”. Scheduled on 4^th June 2007.

Useful Links : Monthly News Letter on  ‘News on Electricity Development’                                  http://prayaspune.org/peg/article_detail.php?&publication_id=085A00