ISLAMABAD: Despite being inundated by circular debt, the federal government has deployed junior employees to various power distribution companies (Discos) with a wide range of perks and advantages.
Now that these Grade 17 underlings have been assigned to their positions, Discos will be on the hook for lavish compensation packages that include perks like cars and free lodging.
As of right now, all BS-17 officers in the Pakistan Administrative Service are required to report to their respective firms for a special duty attachment lasting 60 calendar days.
The announcement asked the provincial governments and the administration of the Islamabad Capital Territory to immediately relieve the officers and instruct them to report to the relevant Disco within 48 hours.
The 60-day period will begin on the date the officer reports to the relevant Disco, and they must return to their original postings after the allotted time has passed.
Since these officers would not be relocated from their current postings, the federal government stated that the relevant province governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration would be responsible for paying their salaries and TA/DA during the term of attachment.
“The Power Division is requested to kindly issue necessary instructions to the quarters concerned for provision of adequate lodging and transport, etc. to these officers during their attachment,” the government said.
Discos will be handed over to the private sector on long-term contracts, the energy minister stated in a recent interview on a private TV programme.
Nonetheless, ownership will remain with the government. In the previous 10 days, he claimed, Rs17 billion had been collected from late payers.
He continued by saying that the adjusted circular debt is between Rs3 and Rs3.5 trillion, and that clearing it by cash-based adjustment was not sanctioned.
Hopefully, “we will have a roadmap to resolve this circular debt stock” by the end of the month of November. Theft and other losses were reported to be Rs589 billion, he said.
The federal government in this case wants to transfer control of Discos to the states because of inefficiency and electricity theft.
The federal government, however, has just attached junior officials with Discos, who will be afforded special privileges and benefits. Despite the existence of a Discos desk within the Power Division, this occurred.
The situation was exacerbated by the fact that Discos’ board of directors had been appointed for political reasons.
Instead of providing helpful feedback to increase productivity and decrease power theft at Discos, these political appointees were more concerned about electrifying villages to win votes in approaching elections.
Circular debt, which afflicted the whole energy supply chain in the country, was primarily caused by the losses of Discos. The government recently requested the Law Division’s advice on whether or not it was constitutional to reshuffle the Discos’ existing board of directors.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan may step in and make changes to the boards, which may be outside the purview of the caretaker government.
The energy ministry’s take on the situation was requested, but no response was received prior to the story being filed.
