Himachal Pradesh News: It has been more than 53 years since Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board was formed in the year 1971. These days the electricity board employees are also worried. Sometimes the salaries of the employees come late, and sometimes the employees have to take to the streets for the restoration of the old pension scheme. There was a time when the Electricity Board used to give loans to the Himachal Pradesh Government, but today the same Electricity Board is bearing the brunt of the economic crisis.
Recently the state government abolished 51 posts of Electricity Board. Since then there is anger among the employees and on Monday the board employees are going to hold a symbolic protest across the state. The electricity board has sought the cooperation of the employees and has warned of blackout in case of non-compliance.
Number of employees staying home continuously
There was a time when 43 thousand employees worked in Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board. Now this number of employees has reduced to only 16 thousand. Three thousand outsourced employees are also working in the board. According to the information, at present nine thousand posts are vacant in various categories in the Electricity Board. Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board has been facing continuous losses for a long time.
Electricity Board is in loss of three thousand crore rupees
In the 1990s, the Electricity Board used to give loans to the state government, but today the Electricity Board itself is facing a loss of three thousand crore rupees. This in itself is no less than a shock for the electricity board. As on March 31, 2015, the Electricity Board was in loss of Rs 1813.23 crore. In the year 2017 it increased to Rs 1 thousand 999 crore. In the year 2020, this loss increased to Rs 1531.50 crore and in the year 2021, the loss increased to Rs 2 thousand 043 crore. At present this deficit is three thousand crore rupees.
What are the demands of electricity board employees?
1. 51 posts of engineering cadre abolished under the notification issued on October 16, 2024, should be restored.
2. Retrenchment orders of 81 outsourced employees working as drivers for the last 10-12 years in various units of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board should be withdrawn.
3. Old Pension Scheme should be implemented for the employees of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board without any delay.
4. The provisions of the bilateral agreement related to HPSEB Transfer Scheme, 2010 between the Government of Himachal Pradesh and the Joint Organization of Electricity Board Employees and Engineers should be followed in letter and spirit. No asset such as line, sub-station and power house should be transferred to any other entity without consultation with the United Front.
5. The selection process for 1 thousand 030 posts of T-Mate already approved by the Service Committee of HPSEBL-HPSL should be started. Besides, recruitment should also be done on vacant posts in the Electricity Board.
6. The arrears of pension and salary of the Seventh Pay Commission should be released to the employees/pensioners.
7. All pending terminal benefits and payments of employees and pensioners may be released with further delay.
Electricity board of energy state Himachal is in crisis.
Himachal Pradesh, which has established itself as an energy state across the country, has achieved the target of electricity for every household. The water flowing in the rivers of the state is not worth any gold. This water in the state is 'flowing gold'. Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam in Himachal Pradesh is also working as a breadwinner, which is known to set new records every year. Himachal Pradesh has the capacity to produce 24 thousand MW electricity. In this, 11 thousand 209 MW has been exploited so far.
The state government owns 7.6 percent of the electricity generated here, while the rest is used by the central government. At present, domestic consumers are being given free electricity for 125 minutes. In the coming time, the state government is also planning to provide up to 300 units of free electricity to needy domestic consumers. This free electricity is also one of the main reasons for the losses of the electricity board.
