PSEB Unbundling
Cabinet meeting on April 15 likely
Jangveer Singh/TNS

Chandigarh, April 7
The state government is in the process of convening a meeting of the Cabinet on April 15 to consider a draft proposal for the unbundling of the PSEB. According to sources, the Cabinet would be presented a proposal calling for the bifurcation of the PSEB into two separate entities to comply with the new Electricity Act, 2003. The government proposes to restructure the PSEB into two companies with transmission being separated from distribution and generation, which will form the second company.

Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal said the Cabinet was most likely to meet on April 15 and that the issue of the unbundling of the PSEB would be taken up at the meeting. Sources said in case the draft proposal was approved by the Cabinet, it would be notified immediately. The state Power Department has also prepared a draft notification so that the government is able to meet the April 15 deadline for the unbundling of the PSEB.

Meanwhile, sources said the PSEB Engineers Association had given its go-ahead for the bifurcation of the board. The government had also agreed to the demand of the engineers that only technocrats should head the companies formed after the splitting of the PSEB.

The government is simultaneously trying to take major unions on board. Though CM Parkash Singh Badal will hold formal talks with the unions on April 9, preliminary talks have started and employees have been assured that their service conditions will not change. Employees have also been assured of a common seniority and the government may even go for a tripartite agreement with the employees and the managements to ensure the rights of the employees are protected in the new organisations.

Chander Parkash adds from Ferozepur: Punjab will be provided with foolproof security cover within a few days to prevent any untoward incident during the unbundling of the PSEB by the end of the second week of this month.

For this task, a considerable number of companies of the IRB, PAP and Punjab Commandos will be deployed in nooks and corners of the state. Joint Control Rooms, which will be handled by civil, police and PSEB officials, will start functioning at every district headquarters of Punjab.

Preventive arrests of elements, who are suspected to be potential trouble makers in the coming days, have started already.