THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The state government’s decision to appoint seven Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) officers as Officers on Special Duty (OSD) in the KSEB on a deputation basis has caught flak from all three employees’ unions of the board.
The KSEB Officers’ Association (CPM), the KSEB Workers Federation (AITUC) and the Kerala Electricity Officers’ Confederation (Congress) have come out strongly against the move, in fear of losing their chances for promotion.
They said that the move to appoint KAS officials on deputation is being made at a time when the state government is struggling to distribute at least one month’s pending Dearness Allowance or to revoke the cancelled long-term Power Purchase Agreement. They rued that the decision comes at a time when vacancies are being cut short citing financial constraints. It should be recalled that the KSRTC management had come out with a similar deputation plan, which was abandoned by Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar following stiff opposition from the employees’ unions there. P S Prasanth of KEOC told TNIE that the decision of the board to bring in KAS officers in middle-level management posts is against the tri-party agreement.
