Editor,
I presumed it is welcome news for all Meghalayans to hear from Power Minister Prestone Tynsong, that the crumbling State power corporation, MeECL, within a short time, is going to be headed by a technocrat as its Managing Director.
In fact, the MeECL should have been headed by a technocrat since it was incorporated in 2003. The intervening MDs (bureaucrats) for the last 19 plus years have not really understood the role of the MD in a corporation and probably they have not understood the duties, functions and the dynamics of running a corporation. They took their assignments casually as if it is like running a government department with no qualms of conscience, accountability and responsibilities. Even the work culture of the employees of this power corporation was exactly the same as that of the government employees and there were no signs at all of corporate work culture displayed by them.
Now, what is quite concern is that even after having a technocrat heading the corporation and all its subsidiaries, if the employees do not cooperate with the head and do not change their attitudes, work culture and mindset then the fear is that the corporation will not experience any drastic change not only in work culture but in its financial performance. Because, the ultimate goal of MeECL is not only to generate power, transmit it and deliver power through power distribution to consumers who need it but to earn limited profits to be able to sustain itself in both short and long terms.
But to meet these principal objectives, the MeECL has to discharge its duties responsibly, efficiently, transparently and above all effectively. As of today its performance is awfully wanting in many ways and in fact this corporation is in shambles because since the time of State Electricity Board stage, it has been used by the powers that be and by certain categories of its employees as a milch cow. Yes, it has enriched too many but the price that the State has to pay is very dear and heavy till today.
