Major Recruitment Push in Power Sector with CM’s Approval

The state government has cleared a proposal to fill long-pending vacancies in the power department, signalling a major recruitment push aimed at ensuring quality , uninterrupted , and reliable power supply to consumers across the state. Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar made the announcement in the Legislative Council.

Replying to queries raised by members Alapati Rajendra Prasad , Kavali Greeshma , and B T Naidu , the minister said the recruitment process would begin soon with the approval of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu . He stressed that staff shortages at the field level have been impacting operations and that filling the vacancies is crucial to strengthening the system.

Currently, nearly 18,000 outsourced and contract personnel are engaged in power supply and maintenance works statewide. The government plans to fast-track the recruitment of Assistant Engineers, while a decision on filling lineman posts will be taken at an appropriate time. The minister underlined that strengthening manpower is essential to improving service delivery and operational efficiency.

The government is also preparing to effectively deploy 5,580 Energy Assistants working in village secretariats. They are undergoing specialised training at a Centre of Excellence in Visakhapatnam. Once fully integrated, these personnel are expected to help fill over 77 per cent vacancies , significantly improving response to consumer grievances.

On infrastructure development, the minister said works worth ₹8,000 crore are being executed under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Feeder separation in rural areas is aimed at ensuring voltage stability and preventing disruptions. About 75 per cent of the projects have been completed, with full completion targeted by April next year.

To strengthen disaster resilience , particularly in cyclone-prone coastal areas such as Visakhapatnam, underground cable networks are being laid to minimise power disruptions during extreme weather conditions.