Hyderabad: Legal hurdles for regularizing services of outsourced artisans working in electricity organizations are no more as the petition challenging regularizing their services has been struck down by High Court on Tuesday. With this process to regularize 23,000 artisans working in TS GENCO, TS TRANSCO, SPDCL, NPDCL has been cleared has been made easy.
Caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao earlier instructed electricity department officers to regularize the services of artisans who have been working for a long time on outsource basis in the department.
Accordingly, as per instructions of Chief Minister, services of 23,000 artisans were regularised by the department and orders were also issued to that effect.
However, the decision was challenged in the High Court and a petition was filed against regularising the artisans’ services. High Court has already given interim orders on the petition. Hearing on the petition continued in the High Court.
Advocates arguing on behalf of electricity department explained the reasons and necessity to regularise the artisans’ services to the Court. They brought to the notice of bench about the problems faced by artisans who have been discharging their duties against all odds and about their skills and the need for regularisation.
They argued that it is not correct to oppose the human angle decision of government to regularise their services. These artisans who have been working hard to supply quality power had to remain as outsourcing employees and thereby losing job security.
The plea put forward by electricity department advocates has been agreed to by Court and struck down the petition.
Chief Minister happy and commits to implement PRC
Chief Minister KCR expressed his happiness over the decision of High Court in striking down the petition filed against regularisation of artisans in the electricity department. He said with human approach government took the decision to regularise their services and it is happy that the High Court supported the decision.
He described that the decision of High Court brought a festive atmosphere to 23,000 artisans. He said that the outsourced employees should not be subjected to exploitation and should live with better living standards.
Against this background, the Chief Minister spoke to TS GENCO and TS TRANSCO CMD D Prabhakar Rao and said that the advocates by substantiating the cause properly brought happiness to artisans.
He instructed CMD Prabhakar Rao to regularise the services of artisans, recognise them as regular employees, decide on the pay scales for them and implement PRC to them also. CM greeted the artisans whose services are to be regularised.
They are henceforth regular employees, says CMD Prabhakar Rao
CMD Prabhakar Rao expressed happiness over High Court judgement. He said that the objective of government is to regularise the services of artisans and with the court judgement, implementation of the decision is made easy. He said this is an auspicious occasion for the artisans.
He made it clear that henceforth the artisans will be treated as regular employees. He said that as per the instructions of CM their pay scales will be fixed, and PRC will be made applicable to them also.
The CMD thanked all those who extended their cooperation in the process of regularisation of artisans. He expressed satisfaction that the fruits of separate Telangana state are realised fully by artisans with regularisation.