State to launch major power dept recruitment drive

Vijayawada: The state government will soon take up a comprehensive recruitment drive to address staff shortages in the electricity department, energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar announced in the Legislative Council on Thursday. The recruitment process will be taken up with the approval of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, he said.

Responding to questions raised by Council members Alapati Rajendra Prasad, Kavali Greeshma, and B T Naidu, the minister emphasised that adequate field-level staffing is crucial to ensuring quality and uninterrupted power supply across the state. He noted that nearly 18,000 personnel are currently working through outsourcing and contract modes to support restoration works and maintain continuous electricity services.

The minister informed the House that the department is taking sustained measures to minimise power interruptions, strengthen preventive maintenance, and enhance voltage stability. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to delivering 24x7 reliable power to consumers, he stated that systemic reforms and infrastructure strengthening are being prioritised.

Ravi Kumar further revealed that 5,580 secretariat energy assistants across the state are undergoing specialised training under the supervision of the energy department. The training is being conducted through the centre of excellence in Visakhapatnam to ensure their effective integration into departmental operations. Once deployed, these trained energy assistants are expected to address over 77 per cent of the existing vacancies.

He also announced that recruitment for assistant engineers (AEs) will commence shortly, while a decision regarding the appointment of linemen will be taken at an appropriate time.

In the interim, available contract and outsourcing staff are being strategically deployed to prevent any disruption in field-level services.

Highlighting infrastructure development, the Minister stated that works worth Rs 8,000 crore are underway under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to strengthen the power distribution network. Approximately 75 percent of the works have been completed, with the Department targeting full completion by April next year.

As part of the scheme, feeder-level bifurcation is being undertaken to separate agricultural feeders, thereby preventing disruptions in rural power supply. In cyclone-prone areas such as Visakhapatnam, underground cabling systems are being installed to minimize damage during extreme weather events.

The minister lauded the dedication of electricity department personnel, noting that during cyclones and floods in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, staff worked round the clock to restore power within 24 hours, ensuring minimal inconvenience to the public.

He reiterated that the Department remains firmly committed to strengthening infrastructure and delivering dependable power supply across the state.