Infra sector face shortage of skilled manpower: Assocham

The country's infrastructure sector is grappling with severe skilled manpower shortage, leading to project delays and cost overruns, industry body Assocham said today.

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"India is currently facing an annual paucity of over 10 lakh project management professionals. Moreover, employability is also a key factor in this regard as most of the already employed workers in infrastructure space have not received any vocational training," an Assocham survey report said.

The report titled 'Road Sector Role in Futuristic Development of India,' suggests that India should enhance the quality of vocational education and training as per the demands of the infrastructure sector to make up for the shortfall of skilled project management professionals.

Besides, there is also a need to improve the efficiency of various departments, divisions and training centres and especially the quality of training services in order to meet industry standards, it said.
    
"Many large-size infra projects like mega highways and others involving greater interdependence and increased regulatory compliance requirements are in limbo as they require professionals possessing project management skills," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.
    
Most of the project managers in the infrastructure sector lack requisite managerial skills, while the highly qualified ones are shifting to sectors like information technology (IT), finance and others, the report said.

Over 550 infrastructure projects across India are facing huge escalation in project cost to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore due to factors like land acquisition, environmental rules, regulatory approvals and shortage of skilled manpower in the sector, the report added.