The Energy Department has finally announced the modalities for bifurcation of the assets and liabilities of the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC), presently the joint regulator for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States.
The bifurcation comes in the light of a communication addressed by the APERC to the Union Power Ministry requesting the Union government to clarify about the status of the regulatory body post bifurcation.
The Chairman and members of the APERC, barring the secretary, had resigned from the posts subsequently.
In the orders issued on Friday, Energy Secretary Ajay Jain said the two regulatory bodies would be housed in the same building, Singareni Bhavan in Hyderabad with the fourth floor of the building allocated to the APERC on an ‘as is where is’ basis.
The conference hall in the fifth floor need to be converted into the court hall in respect of the Telangana regulator while the chambers of the chairman and the members of the APERC need to be remodelled and modified.
“The respective ERCs will take up necessary action to furnish and remodel the respective office space as per their requirement with the available funds,” the order said.
The record room, library and server facilities would, however, be used as common facilities till alternative arrangements were made.
In respect of finances, the order said a sum of Rs. 12.05 crore was available in the ERC account and all payments up to Oct. 31 this year would be made from the common pool.
The respective ERCs would decide about the payments towards liability of consultancy and other charges from Nov 3.
50:50 ratioThe funds would be shared in 50:50 ratio and this ratio was applicable for the common pool funds of the APERC and was not applicable to other institutions/organisations/companies. The necessary expenditure for remodelling of office premises for both the ERCs would be made from these resources.
Rent would be paid by the respective commissions to Singareni Collieries Company Ltd on 50:50 basis and both the commissions would decide about the balance payments to be made with mutual consultation.
The payment towards pension liability for retired chairman, members and employees of the commission would be shared between the regulatory commissions of the two States on 50:50 basis.
While the leave, salary, pension contribution of deputation employees as well as vehicles had been apportioned between the two commissions, the order said two copies each would be made for each of the file – one each for the two regulators – and the original would be in the record room.
