'No free units': DISCOS' employees to challenge decision in court

Officers from WAPDA and various DISCOs rejected the government’s decision to end free units for the employees and decided to challenge the decision in court, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources.

Sources revealed that the officials from WAPDA and several DISCOs formed committees including MAPCO Engineers Association, Welfare Association of WAPDA Engineers, and PESCO officers, to challenge the government’s decision in the relevant court.

It is pertinent to mention here that the caretaker government issued a notification and ruled out the gifted electricity units for the officers above grade 17.

The notification stated that the officers – grade 17 till grade 21 – of power companies have to pay the electricity bills every month including taxes which is also expected to assist in the govt tax quota.

In a notification issued by the power division, it was stated the federal cabinet had approved the monetisation of free electricity units admissible to the employees of Wapda, ex-Wapda companies, including distribution companies (Discos), generation companies (Gencos), National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and Power Information Technology Company (PITC).

According to the notification, 17 to 21 officers of the power companies will get a utility allowance instead of free electricity units from now onwards.

The notification further said the grade-17 employee of Discos and Wapda, who are allowed 450 units per month, would now be paid its cost at Rs15,858 per month