Union Raises Issue of Safeguarding Employees' Interests at JERC Meeting

Union Raises Issue of Safeguarding Employees' Interests at JERC Meeting

Chandigarh 18 March ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Today, March 18, 2026, the Chandigarh Administration submitted 'True-up' petitions for the years 2024-25, 2023-24, and 2024-25 to the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). Additionally, CPCL submitted its True-up petition for the months of February and March 2025. Participating in the discussion regarding the True-up petitions, several consumers expressed their views on issues arising from changes in billing patterns, technical deficiencies, difficulties in depositing advance payments, and complications encountered in the billing of solar meters. 

Speaking on this occasion, Gopal Dutt Joshi, General Secretary of the UT Powermen Union, Chandigarh, presented his arguments before the Regulatory Commission, stating that discussions and proceedings regarding the restructuring of the department have been ongoing since 2013, yet remain incomplete to this day. Meanwhile, during the COVID-19 pandemic—under the banner of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India) initiative—the process for privatizing electricity distribution in Union Territories was initiated. This process has been controversial from the very outset, primarily because the concerned officials drafted the Request for Proposal (RFP) without first formulating a transfer policy for the employees. Consequently, to this day, no employee has been asked to exercise their option regarding their future placement; furthermore, the RFP and tender process were subsequently challenged in court. The concerned officials committed a second major blunder by incorporating transmission assets—rather than limiting the scope to distribution assets—into the RFP. This error continues to exact a heavy toll on the employees, who are still bearing the brunt of its consequences. 

The Union has repeatedly demanded a high-level inquiry into this matter. Furthermore, in the transfer policy implemented on January 31, 2025—while adopting a general principle that employees would continue to work at their current postings—those officials whose roles remained under a cloud of suspicion were nevertheless absorbed back into the administration, whereas 349 other employees were unceremoniously shunted off to a private company without being given the opportunity to exercise their options. He stated that the administration has, against their will, shunted employees—who have served in a government department for 35–40 years and fall under Central Service Rules—into a private company. The situation is such that the government is engaging in deceit by reneging on every promise it made; one after another, it is discontinuing the benefits previously extended to these employees—ranging from the loss of their government employee status to the suspension of the Central Government Health Scheme, the cessation of housing allotments, and the withholding of pensionary benefits. Therefore, the Regulatory Commission ought to take cognizance of this matter as well. In response, the Chairman of the Commission listened attentively to all the points raised but stated that this matter does not fall within his jurisdiction.