New power firms to start functioning from tomorrow

The seven new companies formed out of the restructured Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB) will take up the mantle of power generation and transmission in the state from April 1.

The new power bodies was formed after the Central and state governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reform the power sector in January, 2001.

The four-year restructuring of GEB was marked by long battles with employee unions and tedious procedures of dividing assets and debts between the companies.

For the time being, the GEB head office at Vadodara will act as the head quarters of all the seven new entities.

"The new headquarters of the companies will be shifted to their respective territories once the necessary infrastructure is ready," said the board spokesperson.

"The board's finance department has almost completed the division of assets and debts. The new companies will start functioning from April 1," he added.

In the new avatar of the board, the current chairperson of GEB, V L Joshi will head Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd, Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd and Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd.

The other four distribution companies will be managed by other IAS officers including P K Taneja and L Chuaungo, who are already the managing director of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd and Gujarat Industrial Power Company Ltd, respectively.

"We still have some pending demands with the board management. However, the major issues about job securities and safe guarding our interests have been solved. Now there is no resentment among the employees," said B T Dalwadi, a member of the joint action committee formed by all even employees unions and general secretary of GEB Engineers' Association.