Deloitte, the consultant appointed by the Centre to prepare the ground for the transition of the Puducherry Electricity Department into a private company, has circulated a draft of the transfer policy to the territorial government and employees of the Department.
The draft of the transfer policy, according to an official source, was given to the employees a few weeks ago to explain to them the “benefits and safeguards,” ensured to the workers when the Department was handed over to a private entity to carry out power transmission and distribution in the Union Territory.
“It is based on the draft policy that the Power Secretary, Puducherry, invited the employees for talks last week. The meeting was to explain to the them the safeguards and benefits ensured in the privatisation policy. We also wanted to get their wish-list so it could be added. Though the employees did not participate, they handed over their written representation seeking clarity on service conditions and terminal benefits available after privatisation,” an official privy to the transfer policy told The Hindu .
According to the draft, the official said, all service and terminal benefits currently enjoyed by the employees would be continued as is. “In fact, the draft of the transfer policy guarantees forming a trust. While leasing out the department, whatever money is raised will be first parked in the trust with government control to ensure terminal benefits for the employees. The money raised will be first set aside for this fund and the remaining amount will only be used for other purposes,” he said.
The transfer policy also guarantees that the employees would be entitled to service benefits they enjoyed a day before the transition. The draft has given an assurance on both service and terminal benefits, he said.
“Without taking the employees into confidence, the transfer will not be initiated. The Chief Minister and Minister for Power will also have to take a stand on the draft submitted to the government,” he said.
