VIJAYAWADA: Energy Minister Ramachandra Reddy said on Friday that the government is offering skill development training to energy assistants working the Village and Ward Secretariats through the REC and the National Power Training Institute (NPTI).
The minister refuted the allegations of Telugu Desam leader Nara Lokesh, of lack of skills and training for the energy assistants, and claimed the government is taking care of the lives of employees.
Reddy said Lokesh “exhibited his ignorance” through a recent letter he wrote to chief minister Jagan Reddy, alleging poor security and absence of protection to energy assistants. “The chief minister has effected a revolutionary change in governance by introducing the secretariat system in the state. He provided permanent government jobs to lakhs of youths and inspired them,” the minister said.
Minister Reddy said that to further strengthen the power department at the field-level, the posts of Energy Assistant have been filled in the secretariats. Along with the regular staff working in the power department, energy assistants were given vocational training programmes with the support of reputed organisations like REC and NTPI, he said.
“In addition to this, efforts are being made to increase the professional skills of energy assistants from time to time. But, in his letter, Lokesh mentioned that energy assistants are being put in danger by making them climb poles without any training for repair of the power lines. This is proof of Lokesh’s ignorance,” the minister said.
Reddy said all regulations applicable to the secretariat employees are applicable to energy assistants. “Holidays and various facilities were provided to them on par with other government staff. A probationary period has also been announced for the energy assistants and their pay increased majorly.”
The minister recalled that Chandrababu Naidu came to power with “false promises” like “Babu Vaste Job Vastundi” (if Chandrababu comes to power, all the unemployed youth in the state will get jobs). “He deceived the unemployed youths. But, chief minister Jagan Reddy, after coming to power, was creating confidence among the youths and filling the vacant jobs through secretariats and APPSC, the minister said.
