Govt stops free electricity to officers, implements monetisation policy

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has ceased to provide free electricity units to officers in Grade 17 and above within power generation, distribution, and management companies. They will now receive monetary compensation in salaries.

The decision that went into effect from Dec 1 was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on October 26, 2023, and it was later approved by the federal cabinet. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) officially conveyed the implementation of the decision.

The move, titled “Monetization of Free Electricity Units Admissible to Employees of WAPDA and XWAPDA Companies (DISCOs), power generation companies (GENCOs), National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), and Power Information Technology Company (PITC),” mandates all in-service employees in Grade-17 and above to pay their electricity bills issued by the respective DISCOs. The reference numbers for these bills are already available with the DISCOs.

Details of the revised compensation for Grade 17 to Grade 21 officers in WAPDA, DISCOs, NTDC, and PITC indicate that Grade 17 officers, formerly receiving 450 free units monthly, will now receive Rs15,858 per month. Grade 18 officers, instead of the previous 600 free units, will now receive Rs21,996 per month. Compensation for Grade 19 officers, in place of 880 free units, will be Rs37,594/month. Grade 20 officers will now receive Rs46,992/month instead of the earlier 1,100 free units, while Grade 21 officers will be compensated Rs55,536/month instead of the previous 1,300 free units monthly.

For officers attached to generation companies (GENCOs) and power generation stations, Grade-17 officers will receive Rs24,570 per month instead of 650 free units. Grade 18 officers will be given Rs26,460/month instead of 700 free units, and Grade 19 officers will receive Rs42,720/month instead of the earlier 1,000 free units. Grade 20 officers will be compensated Rs46,992/month instead of the previous 1,100 units, and Grade 21 officers will receive Rs55,536/month instead of the earlier 1,300 free units.

The initial proposal did not include WAPDA employees, but after discussions held at a meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office on August 27, 2023, and attended by chairman WAPDA, they have now been incorporated into the revised arrangement.