Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday credited state electricity employees for supplying quality power despite several misinformation campaigns launched during the formation of the State.
"The entire credit of pulling the curtains down over the misinformation campaign and measures put in place for the quality of power supply in the state goes to the electricity employees. Moreover, they were the front-runners in making the state popular," said the CM.
The Chief Minister made these remarks while interacting with the representatives of the Electricity Employees Unions - 1104, 327 TRVKS and AITUC - who came to Pragathi Bhavan to thank him for his decision to regularise the outsourcing employees, said a statement issued by the Telangana Chief Minister's Office.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said it was bounden duty of the state government to protect its employees, working often putting their lives at stake at Singareni and other places.
Asserting that he is partial towards the electricity employees, the CM observed that functioning of the electricity department is important to the development of the state and so is the case with the employees.
He said all the employees and workers of the electricity department are working 24x7 for the welfare of farmers and the state government is committed to the welfare of this workforce.
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"Employees often fight with the government on certain demands. But, it should not be stretched beyond certain limits. How can anyone say that they will stop working? Telangana state has started getting a good name and Hyderabad's Brand Image is on the rise. It should be further enhanced. At this juncture, can we afford to damage the image? We have to settle the issues, if not once but having a series of discussions.
"Political parties come and go, so is the case with political power. But, Telangana state is permanent and its people are permanent. An employee's duty is to serve the people and the state. If this awareness comes to employees from top to bottom, and if they work in coordination, then the state will prosper. Then nobody can stop the development of Telangana," said the Chief Minister.
In this context, the CM recalled how power sector was also neglected along with sectors during the past regimes in the united AP. He also recalled how industrialists staged dharnas for the supply of power and how people agitating over the power supply issue were killed in the police firing. "But this is all part of history now. As on date, if there is a power failure it is becoming a news item," he said.
Stating that he has waged a 14-years struggle for the formation of the Telangana state, the CM said now his objective is to work for the future generations of the state. "The responsibility lies equally on each employee," he said.
"The present regime is against having any confrontation with the employees unions. We are all co-workers working at different levels. We also should work with commitment towards development of the State with proper coordination. Like in a successful movie, there may be one hero with several other characters. All the characters should play their respective role properly only then the film will be a hit," the CM explained.
He also recalled that after the formation of the State he had given more fitment to the state government employees and RTC staff more than what they have expected. The salaries of Home Guards and other outsourcing employees were also increased substantially. "My government's motto is to feed the employees well so that they will discharge their duties with lot of happiness and bliss," the CM said.
The CM also told the Energy Minister and other officials about the need to simplify certain strict conditions. He also asked the Transco and Genco officials to take back employees, who were suspended on the charges of misbehaviour, on humanitarian consideration. He felt that more work could be extracted from the employees if they were happy than trying to take work from them under pressure. He also said that many more welfare measures would be provided to the electricity employees in the state in the days and months to come. "But the bottom line is employees should work relentlessly for the welfare and service of the people," he said.