Patiala, December 23
The PSEB Engineers Association in a letter to the Chief Minister have urged to withdraw the changes made in the qualification criteria for the post of CMD as it violates tripartite agreement. Any modification in the qualifications and experience prescribed for CMDs/Directors is to be carried out only after consultation and mutual understanding. It may be mentioned that yesterday the government revised the qualification for the post of CMD to secretary level which is not at all accepted by engineers.
PSEBEA Chairman Ajay Pal Singh Atwal said, “As originally envisaged at the time of restructuring, these highly technical organisations were to be headed by experienced technocrats from the power sector. Subsequently, the prescribed qualifications were diluted to permit appointment of an Additional Chief Secretary level IAS officer as CMD, which were later further reduced to the level of Principal Secretary. Now the Government has unilaterally decided to further dilute the qualifications by permitting appointment of a Secretary-level IAS officer as CMD of PSPCL, a highly technical and operationally complex power utility.”
Atwal further said that the Chairman should be a full time technocrat as it is not practically possible for a Principal Secretary/Secretary level IAS to give proper focus which the company essentially requires. “The association, therefore, requests that these amendments be immediately withdrawn and any modification in the qualifications and experience prescribed for CMDs/Directors is to be carried out only after consultation and mutual understanding with the signatories to the agreement. The process for appointment of regular technocrat as CMD be completed, to ensure dedicated technical leadership and to steer the corporation effectively”, he said.
Atwal said that per the tripartite agreement signed between the Government of Punjab, Management of two companies – PSPCL and PSTCL and all unions and associations of PSPCL and PSTCL, any modification in Transfer Scheme, Memorandum of Association, Article of Association, qualification and experience of CMDs and Directors will be made after consultation and understanding with the signatories to this Agreement. “However, the Government’s decision will be final in this regard. It’s violation of tripartite agreement as no consultations were held with signatory employee Associations and unions as per Tripartite agreement”, he added.
