Shimla, Dec 16,
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired a review meeting of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEB) today, emphasizing modernization and efficiency improvements. However, on the other side the day was also marked by protests outside the Board’s headquarters, as the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Outsourced Employees’ Union demanded the reinstatement of 81 outsourced drivers whose services were terminated on November 1, 2024.
Modernization and Financial Stability
During the meeting, the Chief Minister held detailed discussions with senior officials on incorporating modern techniques to enhance the Board’s functionality. He urged officials to propose innovative ideas to ensure financial stability and improve operational efficiency.
To address manpower challenges, the Chief Minister announced plans to recruit linemen and T-mates to strengthen field staff, ensuring uninterrupted power supply and better services for consumers. He directed the preparation of a rationalization plan for staff deployment across the Board.
Sukhu stated that the state government would provide an additional corpus of ₹100 crore to financially stabilize the Board. Additionally, starting January 1, 2025, electricity subsidies for Grade-1 and Grade-2 state government officers and employees will be discontinued. The recent revision of electricity tariffs for industrial and commercial consumers is projected to generate ₹500 crore in annual revenue.
Protests over driver termination
While modernization plans were being discussed inside the office, protests erupted outside the HPSEB headquarters. Hundreds of outsourced employees, under the banner of the HPSEB Outsourced Employees’ Union, demonstrated against the termination of 81 outsourced drivers who had served the Board for 12-13 years. The protesters, supported by the Joint Front, expressed anger and uncertainty over the decision, demanding immediate reinstatement.
Joint Front Coordinator Er. Lokesh Thakur and Co-Coordinator Hira Lal Verma addressed the rally, revealing that the state government had agreed to reconsider the termination. A meeting with the Board management is scheduled for December 23, 2024, following the ongoing Assembly session.
Union State President Ashwini Sharma warned that if the drivers’ services are not reinstated promptly, the Board’s 3,100 outsourced employees would be compelled to launch a statewide agitation. He criticized the delay in addressing the issue and urged the management to act swiftly.
A Day of Contrasting Agendas
As the day witnessed contracting agendas; on one hand Chief Minister and senior officials, including Principal Advisor (Media) Naresh Chauhan, Chief Minister’s Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh, and Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, focused on strategic reforms and ; on the other side the unrest outside underscored the employees’ dissatisfaction with recent decisions.
The HPSEB Outsourced Employees’ Union has made it clear that a prolonged standoff could escalate into a broader movement, posing challenges for the government’s reform and modernization initiatives.
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