TOP BRASS RELIEVED Power corporation CMD, eight directors told to stay
: The Punjab government has given clearance for a threeyear extension to the chairmancum-managing director and five directors of the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) and three directors of the Punjab State Transmission Corporation Ltd (PSTCL).

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who also holds the power portfolio, reportedly approved the decision. The orders will be circulated by next week. The extension is applicable for three years or till the incumbent attains the age of 62 years, whichever occurs earlier.

Those who got extension include PSPCL CMD KD Chaudhary and five directors of the corporation holding the charge of generation, commercial, distribution, human resources and finance.

The terms of all those who are tipped to get extension will come to an end in June first week.

Meanwhile, PSTCL CMD Anurag Aggarwal, an IAS officer and the director, administration of PSPCL and PSTCL, who are political appointees, are not covered in the extension plan. Both the political appointees, PSPCL director (administration) Gurbhachan Singh Bacchhi and PSTCL director (administration) KL Dhal, will understandably continue as per the will of the ruling party. Aggarwal, who is on deputation, could be called back and posted to some other department.

The top managements of the two corporations were appointed for a period of one year in June 2010 with a clause that their services would be considered depending on their performance and that they could be removed prematurely.

The top management had objected to it. They had argued that last year's orders were in contradiction of the MoUs signed by the two companies, which say that the appointment of the top management has to be for a period of three years or till the age of 62.A top official had even said that their service conditions were worse than those of class IV employees.