Facing an acute manpower shortage ahead of the paddy season, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has ordered technical employees posted on clerical and other non-technical assignments in field offices to immediately return to field duties to strengthen on-ground operations and ensure uninterrupted power supply during the high-demand agricultural season.
In an official communication issued by the director/distribution office, PSPCL directed all chief engineers and operational heads to relieve technical employees currently working on clerical and non-technical seats and shift them back to their original technical assignments.
The corporation stated that the decision has been taken in view of the approaching paddy transplantation season, when maintaining uninterrupted electricity supply to agricultural consumers becomes a critical priority.
The move comes amid mounting operational pressure on the power utility, which is already grappling with severe staff shortages across Punjab, particularly in field units responsible for handling power breakdowns, transformer faults, feeder maintenance and complaint redressal.
Officials said several employees recruited for technical posts, including junior engineers (JEs), assistant linemen (ALMs) and other field categories, had over the years been assigned office-based work, leaving field operations understaffed.
Sources said that in certain divisions, nearly 95% of employees handling office-based operational work belong to technical cadres originally meant for field deployment. With paddy transplantation expected to begin within weeks, PSPCL management fears the existing field workforce may not be adequate to manage the anticipated rise in load pressure, breakdowns and emergency complaints.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said that in certain divisions, nearly 95% of employees handling office-based operational work belong to technical cadres originally meant for field deployment. With paddy transplantation expected to begin within weeks, PSPCL management fears the existing field workforce may not be adequate to manage the anticipated rise in load pressure, breakdowns and emergency complaints.
{{/usCountry}}Recently, outsourced staff engaged in complaint handling centres, meter reading, cash counters and customer service operations had launched an indefinite strike, affecting consumer services and increasing pressure on regular employees.
Officials admitted that the combination of staff shortage, rising summer power demand and operational disruptions has created a challenging situation for the department.
Power demand has already surged amid intense heatwave conditions, while shortage of field manpower and restrictions on shutdowns are affecting maintenance and infrastructure upgradation works under projects such as the outage reduction plan (ORP).
Chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans said the corporation is trying to reinforce field operations before the agricultural season begins.
“Paddy season is one of the most sensitive periods for PSPCL because uninterrupted supply becomes extremely important for farmers. We already have limited field staff and with additional operational pressure, technical employees are now being shifted back to their original duties so that field functioning does not suffer,” he said.
He added that the corporation’s immediate focus is on ensuring quick fault resolution, smoother complaint handling and uninterrupted electricity supply during the coming months. “The workload on field teams rises significantly during the summer and paddy season. The decision has been taken to ensure technical manpower is available where it is actually required — on the ground,” he said.
Officials said all concerned offices have been directed to submit compliance reports to headquarters after completing the reassignment process.
PSPCL management has also warned officers against negligence in maintaining power supply during the upcoming agricultural season, indicating that field preparedness will remain under strict monitoring in the coming weeks.