Port Blair, Oct. 12: A meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association was held at Crusade House, Port Blair on 10th October 2020. The meeting discussed on various pending grievances of Govt. Employees working under A&N Administration and decided to pursue issues like delay in posting of teachers who have already been promoted, undue delay in granting of MACP/Promotion of employees of RD, Health Departments and JNRM. The meeting expressed dissatisfaction on inordinate delay in filling-up of vacant posts of Lower Division clerks and teachers.
In a resolution adopted in the meeting, the Association expressed strong protest and concern over the plan of the Central Govt. to privatize Power distribution of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As per the decision, power distribution of the Islands will be handed over to some private entity by January, 2021. The Administration is moving on fast-track to complete the process by December, 2020. The total privatisation of the smoothly running power distribution is detrimental to the interests of the people of the Islands and devastating for employees and workers of the electricity Department. From the experience of consumers in other places like Greater Noida, Gwalior, Nagpur, Agra, etc. where such privatization of power distribution was implemented, the power tariff of common consumers here also is surely going to be increased manifold. Further, as per the guidelines issued by Govt. of India, existing employees will be handed over to the private power distribution company, which is equivalent to a suicidal path for the 80% employees/workers of the Electricity Department. Also, it will be against the interests of the unemployed youth of the Islands as they are going to lose a chance for a posting in Govt. sector for hundreds of posts. The Association appealed to the A & N Administration and Govt. of India to stall the ongoing process for privatization of power distribution in these Islands considering its geographical and topographical condition.
Shri T S Sreekumar, R Rajendran, H B Choudhary,Bikas Mondal, E A Johnson, Smti Usha Rajendran, S L Vinjit, etc. addressed the meeting.