Discom artisans in Telangana demand recognition as permanent employees

The artisans are angry that the government was recruiting junior linemen and was not giving them promotion as junior linemen even though they perform the same duties

Hyderabad: Over 23,000 artisans working in the four State-run power utilities are expressing displeasure over the State government’s attitude towards them and want the government to recognise them as permanent employees. They are also demanding that the government fill up vacant posts of linemen with artisans.

The artisans are angry that the government was recruiting junior linemen and was not giving them promotion as junior linemen even though they perform the same duties. They fear that if new linemen were appointed, they would not get promotions.

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Recently, the Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (TGNPDCL) issued notifications to fill a total of 2260 vacancies for AE (Electrical & Civil), Junior Lineman, and Sub-Engineer posts and of them, 2212 vacancies were for Junior Lineman. Similarly, Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TGSPDCL) also issued notifications to fill 1553 lineman vacancies.

Telangana Vidyut artisans Joint Action Committee chairman L Eshwar Rao said the government was recruiting junior linemen, junior assistants and other posts while continuing the artisan system causing huge loss to them. He demanded the government to fill all the vacant post of linemen with artisans as they have been performing the same duty for years.

“The artisans have to continue in this post till retirement as there is no scope for promotion in the present system. We should be given designations such as junior line assistants, sub-engineers and junior plant attendants instead of artisans,” he demanded..

The artisans working in TG TRANSCO, GENCO, SPDCL, and NPDCL claimed that they were deprived of the benefits provided to private employees, contract employees and government employees. They complained that as the artisan workers don’t fall under any of the three categories were deprived of pay scales, promotions, pensions and other benefits, resulting in their lives and futures being left in the doldrums. Their salary is less when compared with other regular employees and the service rules too, are different.

The artisans were engaged in 39 different jobs including sub-station operators, diploma operators, watchmen, junior plant attendants, store hamalis and others. They would even take up repairs to transformers, disconnect service meters, climb the huge towers and also collect bills as revenue cashiers.