The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) submitted a memorandum to Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal today, urging the government to fill up sanctioned vacant posts.
The union believes that the slow recruitment process for technical staff by the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (MePDCL) not only hampers the smooth functioning of the Power Department but also deprives thousands of qualified unemployed youth in Meghalaya of job opportunities.
FKJGP president Dundee Khongsit stated that the purpose of their meeting with the minister was to address the issue of filling up the vacant sanctioned posts. According to the union, there are approximately 130 sanctioned posts for Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE)/Assistant Engineer (AE) and 125 sanctioned posts for Junior Engineer (JE) in the Electrical/Mechanical Cadres and Sub-Cadres, including Electronics and Computer Engineers under MePDCL.
“We have placed our demands before the Power Minister, emphasising the need to fill these posts. The government’s delay in recruitment is adversely affecting educated unemployed youths in the state,” said Khongsit.
In response, Mondal informed that advertisements have already been issued for field engineers and supervisors in the electrical, mechanical and civil engineering sectors. A total of 67 engineer positions and 64 supervisor positions have been advertised, including 57 field engineers for electrical and mechanical sectors, 10 field engineers for civil engineering, 54 field supervisors for electrical and mechanical sectors and 10 field supervisors for civil engineering.
“We have faced significant financial challenges, which delayed recruitment. However, we recently advertised these positions, and regular appointments will be made once MeECL’s financial situation improves,” Mondal stated.
He further explained that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) is under considerable financial strain. While progress has been made, outstanding dues remain a concern. He mentioned that except for NTPC, all other distribution utilities have no outstanding dues.
“Our dues to NTPC initially stood at around Rs 664 crore. After negotiations, we received a respite, bringing it down to Rs 565 crore. We are now paying approximately Rs 15.7 crore per month and we expect to clear the dues by 2026-27,” Mondal added.
Regarding the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme, the minister clarified that it is specifically designed for domestic consumers with a load below 5KW, excluding commercial consumers. “While there is a perceived loss due to the scheme, we believe it provides necessary relief to domestic consumers who face financial difficulties,” he said.
