8JULY 2024AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR NEEDS 2L SKILLED INDIVIDUALS FOR 30 PERCENT EV ADOPTION: SIAMINDIAN RAILWAYS TURNS TO STARTUPS FOR PROBLEM SOLVINGIndian automotive industry will need up to 2 lakh skilled people by 2030 to meet the government's vi-sion of 30 percent electric vehicle adoption, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said on Tuesday. A total talent investment of Rs 13,552 crore is expected for hiring and training the workforce."As we look ahead, one of the major constraints the auto industry will face is the dearth of skilled electric ve-hicle capable manpower," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Vinod Aggarwal said while addressing a workshop on empowering EV-ready workforce in the Indian auto industry.Aggarwal, who is also MD & CEO, Volvo Eicher Com-mercial Vehicle, pointed out the need for specialised do-main skills in the areas of battery technology, powered electronics and motor design."To keep the pace of global trends and make our auto industry a globally competitive industry, there is an ur-gent need that our workforce be equipped with new skills by upskilling, rescaling and skilling them," he added. De-tailing the gap, SIAM Vice President Shailesh Chandra said, "By 2030, India will need nearly one to two lakh peo-ple with specific skills to meet the government's mission of 30 per cent EV adoption."The talent need will be spread across multiple blue-collar and white-collar professionals, ranging from technicians in manufacturing and testing to PhD scien-tists and engineers in R&D, he added."The talent requirements will also span across mul-tiple disciplines like electrical and mechanical, chemical and electronics engineering," added Chandra who is also MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles & Tata Passenger Electric Mobility.According to the 'SIAM EV Skill Gap Study' report in order to achieve 100 percent localisation of EV compo-nents, India needs to add 30,000 EV-ready workers per year till 2030, up from a current rate of 15,000 per year. The Indian Railways has awarded startups with 23 innovation projects worth 43.87 crore to ad-dress 15 specific problem statements aimed at improving the services of the national transporter. An of-ficial statement highlighted that a total of 423 offers were received against the 28 problem statements opened so far on an innovation portal, which was launched in June 2022 to seek suggestions from startups.The Railways' grant share stands at approximately 10.52 crore for eligible startups working on these on-going innovation projects. The innovation portal was de-signed to solicit solutions for various concerns, including:1. Design of Superior Elastomeric Pad for Heavy Haul Freight Wagons: To enhance durability and performance.2. Light Weight Wagon for Transporting Commodities like Salt: To increase efficiency and reduce transporta-tion costs.3. Rail Stress Monitoring System: For better mainte-nance and safety of tracks.4. Track Inspection Technologies: To improve the ac-curacy and efficiency of track inspections.5. Broken Rail System: To detect and address rail fractures promptly.6. Track Cleaning Machines: To maintain cleanliness and safety on the tracks.7. Development of Sensor-Based Load Calculation De-vice with Audio-Visual Alarm: To ensure safe load man-agement and prompt alerts in case of overloads.These initiatives reflect the Indian Railways' com-mitment to fostering innovation and collaboration with startups to enhance the efficiency, safety, and quality of its services. TOPSTORIES
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