Page 22 - CV Aug-Sep 2023 Issue

SMALL SOLAR

POWER FIRMS

ECLIPSED IN

INDIA'S RENEWABLE

ENERGY RACE

ndia's solar power market may be manufacturers and solar service generating green jobs, with even the
growing rapidly - but Girish providers seeking manpower because smallest hiring at least 25 workers,
IMansukbhai Solanki's business, a their slim profit margins put them at risk according to manufacturers' associations.
small labour agency that supplies of financial trouble, he said. India's micro, small and medium-sized
workers to companies setting up solar enterprises (MSMEs) - which number
systems in western Gujarat, has been Small-scale solar manufacturers and about 60 million across all sectors -
making losses. "I am at the bottom of a service providers like Solanki are generate the largest amount of
supply chain that is plagued with delayed regarded as important players in India's employment after agriculture, and foster
projects, delayed payments and a lot of push to achieve a national goal of entrepreneurship at a lower capital cost
uncertainty," the 38-year-old told the installing 270 gigawatts (GW) of solar than large-scale manufacturing. Yet,
Thomson Reuters Foundation over tea in power capacity by 2030 - enough to despite their role in fostering skills and
Rajkot, an industrial town home to many power about 200 million homes. inclusive growth, many in the solar value
solar firms. In an industry driven by government chain are floundering as larger
Solanki has stopped taking calls from policy, these firms are also key to companies enter the market,

CONSTRUCTION VISION 20 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2023