Karnataka Government deliberately continues vacancies in the power sector of the state

Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee correspondent

Ever since the program of globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation (LPG) was launched in 1991 by the then Rao-Manmohan Congress government, various governments at the centre and states have continued to implement it. Right from the beginning there has been countrywide opposition to this program, since it is both anti- worker as well as anti-people. (For latest information on successful struggles against attempts at privatisation in Karnataka, refer to our website, https://aifap.org.in/18107/ and https://aifap.org.in/17989/)

As a prelude to privatising extremely profitable or potentially highly profitable entities, governments led by various parties at the Centre and states have adopted various stratagems. One of the most common is what is happening in Karnataka right now in the electricity sector.

The Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) is mainly vested with the functions of transmission of power in the entire State of Karnataka. Power distribution across Karnataka is the responsibility of Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM), Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM), Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM), Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESCOM). All these entities have a very large number of vacancies across all the categories of workers, starting from engineers to linesmen.

Against a total sanctioned strength of 87528, there are 34232 vacancies i.e. 39% vacancies! Vacancies of Group D workers overall are as high as 51%! The following tables show the details, and are based on the official document which is attached below.

Vacancies in various electricity companies

Vacancies in various categories of employees

It is very important to note that the numbers of sanctioned posts mentioned above have not been revised upwards since last many years, even though the number of electricity consumers has gone up substantially over that period. This means that, as compared to the actual numbers really necessary for efficient service, the vacancy figures must be much higher.

Then how does the power sector function?

Firstly by extreme overloading of the current permanently employed workers. (To understand this aspect please see article about the Uttar Pradesh power sector which we published earlier on 22^nd July 2026. (https://aifap.org.in/18079/)

Secondly, by employing workers on temporary or contract basis.

Both these actions result in high stress for the permanent workers, thus affecting their well-being and also lead to unsafe working conditions for untrained contract workers. This also obviously compromises service to consumers.

Various governments, bent upon carrying out the privatization drive, immediately seize upon the emotions of aggrieved consumers and start malicious propaganda against the so called “inefficient and lazy permanent workers”. And then ideologues of capitalists step in, advocating privatization for improved efficiency! This is how various governments help generate support for their privatization drive!

All of us who are power sector workers and also power consumers hence must clearly see the political motive behind the governments’ attempts to continue with high vacancies in various public sector undertakings. This also means that all of us who are against privatization of public sector undertakings, must demand that:

– Vacancies in all public sector undertakings be filled up on an urgent basis!

– The necessary funds must be released on priority to ensure that various assets are maintained and upgraded as necessary!