25% fitment for staff, pensioners of power utilities

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has given the green signal for providing 25% fitment benefit to the employees and pensioners of the power utilities, according to Energy Minister K. Kala Venkata Rao.

Mr. Rao told the media at the Secretariat on Thursday that Mr. Naidu’s decision would benefit 31,543 employees and 26,493 pensioners.

Increments

It was decided to give two increments to those having less than 15 years of service and three to those with more than 15 years.

The government and the employees had reached an understanding on that, and the fitment payout entailed an extra burden of ₹860 crore, he said.

Mr. Rao said that Mr. Naidu also agreed to offer employment on compassionate grounds to the eligible among the families of 32 employees of the Rural Electric Supply Companies (RESCOs) who died while in service.

Of the nine RESCOs, seven loss-making ones had been taken over by the government.

Mr. Rao further said that Andhra Pradesh stood first with T&D losses standing at just 9.72% against the Central government’s stipulated 15%.

T&D losses at the national level are hovering over 18%.

“Achievements such as these and other operational parameters have been possible due to the hard work of the employees,” he said.

Energy storage plants

“The government has set the ball rolling for establishment of two energy storage plants on a pilot basis, one each in Vizianagaram and Nellore districts, for taking the reforms in the power sector to the next level,” he added.

Success on this front would consolidate the State’s leadership in the power sector, Mr. Rao said.