Union Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar today said that NEEPCO head office would remain in Shillong and officials of the power corporation would continue to function from there.
The union minister said this while replying to queries by media persons during his official visit to Nongpoh, Ri-Bhoi district.
“Shillong will remain the head office of NEEPCO and its officials will function from the head office,” Gurjar said.
The statement of the union minister is significant in view of the shifting of several top officials and staff of NEEPCO to Guwahati.
It may be noted that NEEPCO was set up in 1976 with a corporate office in Shillong.
Since March 2020, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), other functional directors and senior executives are no longer functioning from the corporate office at Shillong. They have shifted their base to Guwahati.
It was also learnt that a number of important departments of NEEPCO have been shifted to Guwahati on the pretext of smooth functioning.
These include the departments of Operations and Maintenance, Corporate Planning, Corporate Project Monitoring and Contract & Procurement along with many employees.
The shifting of these departments and employees was without any valid reason and was done without any administrative order from the Ministry of Power.
The residential quarters of the CMD and directors built at Laitkor at the cost of few crores of rupees have remained unutilised since 2020.
NEEPCO has also acquired land at Umsawli in New Shillong Township. Peripheral development of the land was conducted a few years back but it was suddenly stopped for unknown reasons.
Concerns have been raised from different quarters regarding the shifting of various NEEPCO offices from Shillong to Guwahati.
Further, the shifting of offices to Guwahati will reduce the employment opportunities for the tribal youth from Meghalaya.
Meghalaya is a big beneficiary in the form of direct and indirect taxes from NEEPCO and its employees. Local people from the State are also the beneficiaries of various contract works, supplies, vehicle hiring etc.
NEEPCO has created opportunities for the educated youth of North East and 90 per cent of its employees are from the region including Meghalaya.
NEEPCO has been the subsidiary of NTPC since March 27, 2020. However, NEEPCO is still under control of the Ministry of Power.
