The much talked ‘New Recruitment Policy 2015’ announced on 1st July had seen many ups and downs, even faced the rejection from the Governor’s Office, which asked the government to review it and make it more people friendly. Not, only the Governor’s Office, the policy was even greeted with series of protests from the various sections of the society. But finally, after many rounds of meetings, the policy was implemented. The fast track recruitment is targeted to fill 7,500 jobs at initial level. Even as the government was contemplating privatising the power sector in the State, the fate of more than 8,000 daily rated workers hangs in the balance till date who have been working in the Power Development Department (PDD) for the past 20 years with meager salaries for over 20 years, and their services have not been regularised so far. Under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPD&RP), Rs 1,700 crore was released by the Central Government about two years ago to strengthen the sub-transmission distribution system in 30 towns of the State with a population of 10,000 and above. There are speculations that the government is planning to sack all daily wagers working in the PDD as their services will no more be needed after the department work is privatised. More than 50 per cent of the aerial bunched cables had been installed in Jammu city. Under the privatisation move, the companies will hire their own meter readers and linemen. Then what will happen to these daily wagers? The privatisation of the department was initiated by the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference-Congress Government. The PDD has already registered a state transmission company, two distribution companies (one each for Kashmir and Jammu regions) and Tradeco (holding company) under the Companies Act, 1956, to deal with consumers and transmission. In 2011-12, the then State Government had started the process by engaging PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international consultancy firm, for restructuring the department, including unbundling and corporatisation. The project did not go beyond the planning stage. Who will answer for the uncertainty the PDD daily wagers face in future?
