Chhattisgarh CM says returnee migrants to get jobs

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has asked officials to provide employment to migrant labourers who have returned from other states due to the lockdown, in state-run power companies. Addressing a review meeting, the CM said that the migrant labourers can be given requisite training to upgrade their skills, if necessary so that they can get employment.

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government will try to provide employment to migrant labourers who have returned from other states due to the lockdown, in state-run power companies depending on their skills, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

In a review meeting held on Friday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also discussed a proposal on re-organising five power companies into three, the government spokesperson said.

Baghel told officials that migrant workers returning to the state should be given employment as per their skills at power substations or in works related to power line expansion and construction in electricity firms, he said.

If necessary, migrant labourers can be given requisite training to upgrade their skills and put into work on a priority basis, so that they can get employment, the official quoted the CM as saying.

Baghel also held an extensive discussion on the proposal to restructure five power companies into three, the spokesperson said.

The erstwhile Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) was reorganised into five companies for distribution, generation, transmission, trading and holding in 2009.

The CM, meanwhile, expressed resentment over the rebate being given to consumers being not displayed on their power bills.

Various issues including transmission loss, status of under-construction sub-stations, proposed substations, category-wise pending payment of electricity bills to name a few, were also discussed during the meeting, he said.

Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Managing Director Muhammed Qaiser Abdul Haque informed the meeting that due to the lockdown, revenue in the month of April recorded a deficit of Rs 212 crore. It is expected to increase to Rs 1,510 crore by October, he said.

The official also informed that 69 extra high tension sub-stations and transmission lines were installed in the last three years to reduce the transmission loss.

An amount of Rs 6324.62 crore is pending against bills from different categories of consumers, the meeting was told.

PTI