401 Persons Appointed to Electricity Department

Chennai: In an immediate effort aimed at addressing the pressing problem of frequent power cuts in the State, the government appointed 401 personnel, including 383 assistant engineers, to the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd with a view to providing better services to the people.

When the appointment orders were being handed over to the recruits at the Kalaivanar Arangam on Wednesday, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay stepped down from the stage on spotting a woman in an advanced stage of pregnancy among those waiting to receive the order to help the woman avoid climbing the stairs.

R Akshaya Lakshmi, who is in her 40th week of pregnancy, received the orders from the Chief Minister who walked down to her. All the 382 electrical engineers and 18 assistant accounts officers were selected by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) through a transparent recruitment process.

Among the recruits were 18 assistant accounts officers and 383 assistant engineers appointed to the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited.

In a recent review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, his attention was drawn to problems plaguing the Electricity Department and it was noted that over 70,000 posts were waiting to be filled at various levels.

So Vijay ordered the initiation of the process to fill at least 15,000 posts within a year to not only ensure the uninterrupted supply of power to the people but also to generate employment for young people.

An official press release said that the appointments reflected the state government's commitment to transparent governance and that the recruitments would help improve the Energy Department's operational efficiency.

Kanimozhi opposed divesting of NLC shares

Leader of the DMK in the Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, urged the Union Government to reconsider and revoke the proposal for disinvesting 3% of the stakes in the public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL), a Navratna company under the Ministry of Coal, and dispel the fears of the employees and the public.

Situated in the Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu, the company was making profit of about Rs 3,769 crore in the current financial year and hence the reasons and rationale behind this disinvestment plan remained unclear given its consistent performance and strategic importance, Kanimozhi said in her letter to the Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G Kishen Reddy, on Wednesday.

The proposed stake sale has caused widespread concern among employees, trade unions, and the general public as the move had come despite NLCIL’s strong financial performance and profitability, she said.

Recalling previous attempts to dilute the Government’s stake in NLCIL, she said they were met with strong opposition. In 2006, a proposal to divest a 10% stake was withdrawn following widespread protests by workers, engineers, officials, and various welfare associations, she said.

Similarly, in 2013, when a 5% stake sale was proposed, the Government of Tamil Nadu intervened by purchasing 3.56% of the shares, thereby helping preserve the public sector character of the enterprise, she said.

In these circumstances, the present decision to sell an additional 3% stake has created apprehension among employees and the public that it may gradually erode the Government’s ownership and eventually pave the way for privatisation of the company, she said.

Considering NLCIL’s strategic importance, profitable operations and its significant contribution to the economy and employment generation, the disinvestment plan may be dropped, said and requested the Minister to intervene in the matter..

The TVK has promised to create 5 lakh government jobs across various departments during its campaign.

Among those who attended Wednesday’s event were State Minister for Energy Resources C T R Nirmal Kumar, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Chairman J Radhakrishnan, Energy Department Principal Secretary Anil Meshram.