Effective December 1st, the Pakistani government has ended the long-standing practice of providing free electricity to employees of DISCOs, GENCOs, WAPDA, and NTDC. This decision comes after the federal cabinet approved the monetization of free electricity units previously granted to these employees.
Instead of free electricity, officers from grades 17 to 21 will now receive a monthly utility allowance. The amount of the allowance will vary depending on the employee’s grade and their previous free electricity entitlement. For example, a grade-17 employee of Discos who previously received 450 free units will now receive a monthly allowance of Rs 15,858.
This decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some employees have expressed their dissatisfaction with the change, while others have welcomed it as a necessary step towards financial sustainability for the power sector.
The power division has stated that all employees of WAPDA, GENCOs, DISCOs, and NTDC will now be required to pay their monthly electricity bills. This is expected to help reduce the financial burden on the government and promote more responsible energy consumption.
It remains to be seen how this change will affect the day-to-day operations of these power companies. However, it is clear that the Pakistani government is committed to reforming the energy sector and making it more efficient and sustainable.
