| Proposed privatization of power sector in J&K ‘haunts’ employees | | Advisor to chair meet, review progress, reveals meeting notice | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 7: A proposed meeting mentioning “privatization of power” in its agenda has unambiguously narrated the future plans of the government. The meeting notice has rattled the employees of the power departmen . They fear it may end their careers abruptly. .
The “Meeting Notice” issued by Deputy Director (Planning) Power Development Department Shahnawaz Bali on 6/7/2020, reads, “Advisor (BK) to Lt. Governor of J&K is taking a meeting to review the progress of CSS/PMDP schemes of Kashmir Division, power sector reforms, privatization of power on 8th of July, 2020 (Thursday) at 12.00 noon in the meeting hall, 4th Floor, Civil Secretariat Srinagar.”
The meeting is scheduled to be attended in person by Managing Director (Distribution) KPDCL, Director Finance JKPDD, Secretary Technical JKPDD, Chief Engineer (Distribution) KPDCL, Chief Engineer (Projects) KPDCL, Chief Engineer (Transmission) JKPTCL Srinagar, Chief Engineer Planning and Procurement) KPDCL, Chief Engineer JKPCL, Director TTIC, JKPDD, Consultant PFC. Through video conferencing from Civil Secretariat Jammu, the meeting is scheduled to be attended by Special Secretary JKPDD, Managing Director (Transmission) JKPTCL, Director Planning JKPDD, Additional Secretary JKPDD, Chief Project Manager REC Jammu and Sanjay Sharma Executive Engineer Inspection Division Jammu.
The mention of Privatization of Power has been made prominently in the meeting notice, which implies that the government has been consistently working on its agenda to privatize the power sector in Jammu and Kashmir. “In the meetings, the government is prominently discussing the privatization of the power sector, while when it comes to table-talks with the employees of the Department, who had been agitating against the moves of government to privatize the power sector, the government representatives had clearly assured that there were no plans of privatization. It leaves the employees in total confusion”, said Sanjay Tickoo, Convenor of the Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee (PEECC).
The PEECC is spearheading a campaign against the government decision of unbundling of the power sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
The employees said that instead of accepting the proposals forwarded by employees and engineers to improve the health of Power Sector in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been incurring losses the government has been consistently working on a single alternative of privatization the power sector, which would ultimately benefit the private companies and would prove detrimental for the employees as well as the common masses of Jammu and Kashmir, who would have to shell out huge money in the form of power bills.
As per the meeting notice it is also mentioned that the Managing Director KPDCL and Chief Engineer Transmission, JKPTCL Kashmir shall make the Powerpoint Presentation in the meeting of 8th July and also submit a hard copy of the same to the Department by 7th of July.
“It is amply clear that in the PPTs the officials have to present their ideas of privatization the power sector as well as other reforms”, an official said. |
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