Posts in power sector to be advertised soon
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 19
The Punjab government will soon advertise posts for respective CMD and board of directors (BoD’s) of Transcom and Powercom, the two new successor companies, registered with their headquarters at Patiala, after the bifurcation of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB).

As per the information gathered by The Tribune, while some BoDs will be appointed by the government, the CMD and a majority of the BoDs will be appointed through interviews, which will be taken by a selection committee, comprising Chief Secretary, Punjab; Administrative Secretary from Department of Power and a specialist from the public sector, who will be working as member/director of some central sector power utility.

While stating that the Punjab government had even got a pat from the Centre for dealing with the matter so efficiently, highly placed sources in the Powercom, the company that would be taking care of the generation and distribution, said, “In the Transcom, there will be one CMD, Director Technical, Director Finance/Commercial, who will be appointed through interview.”

The sources further said the state government would appoint Director (Administration Secretary), one from Department of Power and another from Department of Finance.

For the Powercom, the CMD, Director Generation, Director Distribution, Director Commercial, Director Finance And Director HR would be appointed through the interviews. “Director Administration will be nominated by the government. Likewise in case of Transcom, in Powercom as well, the state government will appoint Director (Administration Secretary), one from Department of Power and another from Department of Finance,” said a senior government official.

According to the officials, the qualification criteria for the post of the CMD and the Director have already been finalised. Not only the officials currently working in the Powercom/Transcom but also the outsiders having experience in the power sector and fulfilling the eligibility conditions could apply for the posts.

“After the initial screening during the interviews to be conducted by the selection committee for the post of the CMD, two names will be recommended by the committee to the state government,” said sources, while adding that final decision would then be taken by the Minister of Power, the portfolio headed by Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal himself.

Brar sore over ouster from PSEB
Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 19
Manner in which former chairman of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) HS Brar has been shown the door, Brar is not a happy man these days. So much was he pissed off on the way he was unceremoniously removed from the power utility, now bifurcated into two companies, that immediately after getting news of unbundling on April 15, he left for his home in Faridkot.

Though the government had already given pretext that officials, who have surpassed the age of 60 cannot be accommodated in the new companies, but still the former chairman has many grudges.

Speaking to The Tribune for the first time after his ouster, Brar reposed faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Parkash Badal, but stated that it was really beyond his understanding that why his entire staff, from his official residence in Patiala, was instructed to join at the headquarters on April 15 late night.

Notably, according to highly placed sources, Brar’s OSD senior XEN RK Goel and Director Personnel NS Dhanoa had already been sent on leave and not given any new postings.

Brar was though not interested in discussing the issue much, but one of his close aide, immediately after the unbundling decision, said Brar’s vehicle and security staff was called back and he was left without security, when the strike of the PSEB employees in the state was on. Brar, however, accused that some of the officers deputed with him are being subjected to some kind of harassment. He further said this was unjust and he would speak to the CM on the issue, as Badal himself has been unaware that any such thing was going on.

Though, despite repeated attempts, senior Powercom officials were not available for the comments, but the new managing-committee members, on condition of anonymity, said no one has been treated shabbily.