In a major development, All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has sought  the  intervention of the Prime Minister Office against the  formation of J&K Grid Company, a  joint venture company (JVC) of JKTCL and PGCIL till the democratic process of electing new  government is completed, given that as electricity is a concurrent subject.

V. K. Gupta, spokesperson AIPEF said in a statement to Ziraat Times that the AIPEF has written a letter to Lt Governor Jammu & Kashmir with copies to PMO on Tuesday urging them not to take any decision now and leave  this to the newly elected government.

“Since Electricity is a  concurrent subject, Ministry of Power/Home Ministry’s decision to form JVC with  central government company PGCIL is  against the constitution because the State government  has been bypassed. As per Press Reports it is expected that state assembly elections will be held around May/June 2022”, Mr Gupta said.

It may be mentioned that All J&K Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee is vehemently opposing the move and have requested the Govt to put on hold the draft. In case the move is not withdrawn, they have given a call of Work Boycott from 18th December, 2021 in J&K.

V K Gupta said that at least more than half a dozen Power Engineers Associations of various states have written to LG against any such move and have supported the boycott move of J&K employees and engineers. These include the associations of the states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, West Bengal , Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

AIPEF has mentioned its letter that every state govt. of the country faces a problem of unemployment and in case transmission function is retained in state govt. without any  JV with PGCIL, the implication is that it will provide employment to the unemployed persons of J&K.