A Senate body on Wednesday demanded the government to stop providing free electricity to the workers of power companies across the country.
The Senate Standing Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Fida Mohammad was informed that millions of free units are granted to the workers and officials of Water and Power Development Authority, distribution companies (Discos), and generation companies (Gencos) every year.
“About 391 million electricity units were provided free of cost to the 198,222 employees of the Water and Power Development Authority, distribution companies (Discos), and generation companies (Gencos) during fiscal 2018-19. The total cost of these free units was estimated at Rs. 5.26 billion,” officials of the power division apprised the committee.
The committee recommended the Power Division replace the existing practice of giving free units with remunerations in their salaries.
To this, the additional secretary of the Power Division said that employees will take the monetary benefits without giving up electricity theft.
“How would the system be improved then?” Will angels descend to improve it,” the Senate body chairman snapped at the secretary.
“In the current situation, only angels can improve the system,” the secretary responded.
Senator Fida Mohammad said that employees of power companies steal more electricity than the public. He directed the additional secretary to devise a mechanism to keep a check on power theft.
https://propakistani.pk/2021/09/16/...electricity-for-employees-of-power-companies/