Power Ministry urges states to fill up vacancies in regulatory commissions fast

New Delhi, Feb 26 : Concerned over several state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) functioning without Chairpersons and adequate strength of members, with posts lying vacant for long periods, the Union Power Ministry has asked state governments to fill up all vacancies in a time-bound manner.

Power Secretary Alok Kumar recently wrote to all Chief Secretaries, pointing out that posts lying vacant in these commissions hamper their smooth functioning, and therefore has directed them to expedite filling up of vacancies.

The SERCs play an important role in ensuring reliable and quality power supply to consumers and therefore for their smooth functioning, vacancies to the posts of chairpersons and members should be filled up in a time-bound manner, he said in his letter.For this, states need to make references to selection committees, six months in advance before superannuation or end of tenure of chairpersons or members, the ministry told the state governments.

The directive from the Power Ministry to states for expediting filling up of vacancies of chairpersons and members in SERCs, has come in the light of the fact that there are many such commissions where there is hardly any strength.A case in point is that of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), which is understaffed.

A three-member commission, DERC comprises of a chairperson and two full time members.With important G20 events lined up to be held in the national capital throughout the year, the DERC, apart from the newly appointed Chairman Rajeev Shrivastava (whose appointment was approved last month by Delhi government), just has one member, technical, A.K.Ambasht currently.The post of member, legal, is currently lying vacant.

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