Dress code has power authorities in a fix
Terming it a financial burden, bureau asks the authorities to recover `20 crore from employees
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Panipat, May 29
Objections raised by the Haryana Bureau of Public Enterprises against the introduction of a dress code in the state power utilities four years ago has put the authorities in a fix. Besides calling the dress code a financial burden on the utilities, the bureau has asked the authorities to recover over Rs 20 crore from the employees, which was paid to them for maintenance of uniform over a period of four years.

In 2007, the then managing director of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Vijender Kumar, had introduced the dress code in the utility and all employees irrespective of their class were sanctioned Rs 2,000 per annum for wearing a proper uniform at work. The idea was to promote a corporate culture. He believed that the code would enhance discipline amongst the employees and officials.

Later, Vijender Kumar was shifted to the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and he introduced the same code there also. Following this, the Haryana Power Generation Corporation (HPGCL) and Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPNL) also adopted the same code for its officials.

After its implementation in all four utilities, around 27,000 employees and officials of the Haryana power utilities started getting Rs 2,000 a year in the name of dress maintenance. Though, the officials were not very pleased with the meagre amount being given to them for uniforms, it definitely increased the financial burden of the utilities by over Rs 5 crore a year.

However, the Haryana Bureau of Public Enterprises, which approves all allowances given to the state employees, recently found that no approval was sought from it before giving Rs 2,000 to the employees and officials.

Following this, it sent a notice to the four utilities asking the authorities to recover the money. The bureau maintained that it was okay for class IV employees to be given a dress allowance, but it was redundant for class III, II and I employees.

Sources said the authorities would now have to ask the employees to either return the money or come up with a suitable explanation for the slip up of their predecessors. Asking the employees and officials to return the money would be asking for much trouble, as it would provoke resentment.

An employee of the utilities said none was happy to get Rs 2,000 for dress maintenance, as it was nothing but a mockery. “How many dresses can one maintain with that much amount of money,” he contended. “All employees had to spend from their pockets to wear white shirts, blue trousers and black shoes.”

He said it would be unjust on the part of the authorities to now recover the money, which the employees never wanted to receive in the first place. He stated that the dress code had not only increased the burden on the utilities but also on the employees and officials as well.

Meanwhile, Financial Commissioner Madhusudan Prasad, who is also chairman of the Haryana power utilities, was not available for comments.