Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 21 : The Himachal Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has approved the engagement of over 2,600 youth in Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), including 1,602 Bijli Upbhogta Mitras and 1,000 T-Mates, to further strengthen electricity services across the state.
According to a release, this is the first time in the recent history of the government-owned company that such a large number of job recruitments will take place in HPSEBL.
A Government Spokesperson informed that this decision has been taken to address the shortage of field staff and to ensure efficient and uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers. At present, there are 4,009 sanctioned posts of T-Mates, out of which 3,049 are vacant, adversely affecting operations and delivery of services.
To overcome this situation, the Government has decided to engage 1,602 Bijli Upbhogta Mitras against vacant posts of T-Mates at the circle level, in addition to filling up 1,000 posts of T-Mates.
The Bijli Upbhogta Mitras will be appointed by an authorised Government agency from among eligible candidates who have passed matriculation and hold an ITI certificate in Electrical/Wireman trade from a recognised institution. The prescribed age limit for applicants is 18 to 30 years.
The Spokesperson added that "field staff are the backbone of HPSEBL, ensuring efficient power supply and playing a vital role in repairing damaged infrastructure and restoring electricity during disasters."
Electricity being an essential service, strengthening this workforce will greatly benefit consumers. He further stated that this initiative demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring better services for electricity consumers, while simultaneously creating gainful employment opportunities for local youth.
The Chief Minister stated that the Government is committed to providing employment opportunities to the youth. In the last two and a half years, 23,191 youth have been employed in the government sector alone. Going forward, new avenues of employment as well as self-employment opportunities will be created to benefit the youth of the State.