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| Power Development Department all set to go private way, officers confused | | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Oct 1: Officers and officials of Power Development Department (PDD) are confused about the future of the department more so at a time when reports are rife that PDD would be converted into a Corporation or made a company.
Sources told Early Times that preparations are almost complete with respect to conversion of PDD of Jammu & Kashmir into a Corporation. The sources said that the formal order in this regard is likely anytime after October 31, 2019 after Jammu & Kashmir would be formally broken up into two union territories Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
"Over the past so many years the PDD has suffered huge losses owing to the mismanagement in the diverse affairs of the department. The people at helm of the department could not tide over the losses suffered and they were found wanting," said sources.
Sources said that the only solution that was put forward by the experts in this field was that the power sector should be privatized in Jammu & Kashmir. The experts thought that privatization is the only solution to the ills afflicting the power sector of the state.
"The transmission and distribution losses in Jammu & Kashmir have been touching the alarming levels over the past so many decades. These losses can be brought down by inculcating accountability in the entire system. This thing too was looked into by the experts and privatization seemed to be the ultimate solution in this regard," said sources.
Few days back a top ranked officer of the department while talking to a media outlet said that the government has no plans to change the PDD into a Corporation. However, the officer contradicted himself after he said that four companies would be set up to look into the affairs of the present Power Development Department.
The officer in question seems to be unaware that the process of converting PDD into a company or corporation has started some time back and there is nothing new in this regard. The conversion could not take place since the successive state governments sat over the matter.
"The politicians have their vested interests everywhere and in every department and PDD was no exception. The government of the time ensured that their power in PDD is not snatched and they continue to hold sway in the department. Given the fact that there is no elected government in the state the conversion of PDD into a Corporation is just a click away," said sources.
Sources said that Governor Satya Pal Malik led state administration is more than keen and serious to bring about reforms in the power sector in Jammu & Kashmir. They said that instructions have been issued to the higher ups of the department to take the process of conversion of PDD into a private company or corporation to its logical conclusion.
"It has almost been decided that the all the paper work in this regard would be finalized in this month only. Once the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir is fragmented into two union territories on 31-10-2019 the PDD would no longer be a government department but a private entity," said sources.
It would be in place to mention here that Government of India had on August 5 revoked Articles 370 and 35-A of the Constitution of India. This meant that people of Jammu & Kashmir no longer enjoy the special privileges. |
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