Minister for Energy Balineni Srinivasa Reddy said that the 4,500 electricity meter readers working on contract basis for power distribution companies in the State wouldn’t be removed from service as being speculated.
Mr. Reddy along with Minister for Endowments Velampalli Srinivasa Rao gave away appointment orders to 170 Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) recruited by the Energy Department at a function here on Monday.
Mr. Reddy said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had made it clear that the meter readers and other contract workers would not be removed. He said that the Chief Minister was focused on employing youth and as part of it 8,000 energy assistants have been recruited under Ward and Village secretariats and 170 AEEs have been recruited by the Energy Department.
About reverse tendering, Mr. Reddy said that the government was able to save about ₹800 crore through reverse tendering in the Polavaram hydroelectric projects so far.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the Chief Minister was able to provide jobs for about 4 lakh youth in a transparent process soon after coming to power where as the previous government failed to do it in five years.
The Secretary, Energy Department, N. Srikant said that the department saved about ₹500 crore by purchasing power for lesser price and ₹180 crore was saved through reverse tendering in Genco.
Energy Department employees’ union leaders thanked the government for filling up the vacant posts as AEEs play a key role in delivery of services. Central MLA Malladi Vishnu and others were present.
Recently, electricity meter readers from across the State staged a protest in the city seeking clarity over their future.
