The Central Government is charting a plan to set up three large manufacturing zones for power equipment in different places in the country.

The Power Minister pointed out that from the data on item-wise quantum of imports in power sector given by Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence (DGCI), Department of Commerce it is seen that many types of equipment like transmission line towers, conductors, industrial electronics, capacitors, transformers, cables and insulators and fittings, etc.

Contributions from the power equipment industry is 8.1 per cent of the manufacturing sector in terms of value and 1.35 per cent of India's GDP, providing direct employment to 5 lakh people, indirect employment to 10 lakh people, and employment to over 50 lakh people across the entire value chain.