Bengaluru: Assuring  that the power sector in Karnataka will not be privatised, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar asked the  staff of all Government-run Power Companies to stand by him in the 2028 Assembly polls.  

He was speaking after being feted at the programme organised by KPTCL (Karantaka  Power Transmission Corporation Limited) Employees Association and Federation of other Associations at Bengaluru on Monday. 

Stating that the privatisation of power sector will be discussed in depth at the next cabinet meeting, Shivakumar said the demand of the employees not to privatise the sector will be given prominence.  

Noting that Chairpersons, Managing Directors and his cabinet colleagues are against privatisation of the power sector, the CM said, however, he is not the sole authority and it is the cabinet which has  to decide on the matter. In any case, the Government will take a fair decision, he asserted. 

Maintaining that it was the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre which framed laws for privatisation of the sector way back in 2003, Shivakumar said then, the State-run Power Companies’  employees, engineers and representatives of staff associations did not oppose the decision.   

“Now the power sector employees have come to me demanding that the sector should not be privatised, saying they will stay with me all along. But you have done a wrong by not opposing the privatisation of the sector when it was first decided by the BJP,” he maintained. 

Referring to Gruha Jyothi Scheme, CM Shivakumar said the State Government will soon launch a drive for weeding out  ineligible beneficiaries of Gruha Jyothi free power scheme to households, which is one of the 5 guarantees of the Congress Government.  

Pointing out that the scheme was aimed at providing free power for only residents of Karnataka, he said, as of now, there are 1.64 crore beneficiaries of the scheme. The Energy Department has submitted a report on rampant irregularities in the implementation of the scheme. Based on this report, the Government has taken measures for weeding out ineligible beneficiaries and finding out other irregularities associated with the scheme, he said adding that the drive will ensure that only the people of Karnataka are benefitted from Gruha Jyothi.  

Energy Minister K.J. George, in his address, said that the State’s power department was strong enough to supply electricity to people of the State and as such there is no question of privatisation. 

Maintaining that the Congress Government is supportive of the employees, George said all the five ESCOMs of the State have filed objections to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) opposing privatisation. The State-run power companies are no less competent than others, he noted. 

Stating that the Energy Department has drawn plans for ensuring power security for the next 25 years, the Minister said that at present, solar power is generated in a space of 10,000 acres and farmers have come forward to part with 10,000 more acres for solar power generation.  

The Department will reap profits  if there is an increase in sale of power during the demand season, he said adding that many measures are being taken for ensuring power security to the people of Karnataka. 

KPTCL Employees Association President K. Balaram, office-bearers Shivaram and Varadaraj, Engineers Association General Secretary Chandrashekar Desai and others were present.