HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday approved a Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for employees, artisans and pensioners of power utilities during a review meeting with Energy Department officials at Vidyut Soudha, the headquarters of Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (GENCO).
The government has decided to increase the DA by 1.621%, raising it from 17.651% to 19.272% with effect from January 1 this year. The enhancement will benefit 70,804 employees and pensioners working in power sector organisations and result in an additional financial burden of around `9.35 crore per month on the government.
During the meeting, Vikramarka also directed officials to prepare a comprehensive long-term electricity plan for the next decade, stressing the need to expand infrastructure to meet the state’s rapidly growing power requirements.
According to projections, Telangana’s peak power demand is expected to reach 34,137 MW by 2035-36, nearly double the current peak demand of 18,548 MW. Annual electricity requirements are also projected to rise to 152,626 million units (MU) by 2035-36.
The deputy chief minister directed officials of the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana, Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana and Transmission Corporation of Telangana to remain fully prepared for the monsoon.
He instructed field-level officers, engineers and staff to stay on high alert.