One of Punjab’s major corporation is headless in peak season; no regular CMD appointed in last 13 years
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ August 7,2023
In 2010, erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) was bifur- cated into two corporations –Punjab state power corporation limited (PSPCL) and Punjab state transmission corporation limited (PSTCL).
PSTCL deals with power transmission and PSPCL manage power generation and distribution.
Since the inception of PSTCL in 2010, no independent,regular CMD is appointed in the Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL). Anurag Aggarwal, IAS was appointed as the first CMD of PSTCL.
The last CMD of PSTCL was A. Venu Prasad, IAS Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Punjab.
Nowadays, one of Punjab’s major corporation “Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL)” is headless as on July 31,2023 its CMD, A. Venu Prasad, IAS retired after attaining the age of 60. He holds the additional charge of this Transcom and automatically the seat of CMD got vacant after his retirement from Punjab government service.
Speculations were rife in the power sector that on the last day of A. Venu Prasad’s retirement the state government will issue an order appointing him as CMD of Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL). But no such orders were issued.
A senior functionary of the Transcom confirmed that the corporation is headless as no CMD is appointed, yet. Even the principal secretary Power is on leave.
On the other hand, the official website of the Punjab state Transmission Corporation limited (PSTCL) still show A. Venu Prasad as its CMD along with other directors.
Even, Punjab power engineers have demanded the merger of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) for more efficiency and coordination.
The board of directors of the merged corporation should be formed purely on the professional competency instead of incorporating officers in their official capacity, the engineers have demanded.
Further being two separate entities, has resulted in increase of cost of capital projects due to non-utilisation of resources mainly land by either organisation for augmenting or constructing new sub-stations in the vicinity of already existing substations of other organisation. Land or building of 66KV substation will not be used for augmentation to 220KV, similarly, 220KV substations will not be used to augment/ addition of 66/11KV capacity.
