CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday handed over appointment orders to 401 candidates selected through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) for the Energy Department, including 383 Assistant Engineers (Electrical) and 18 Assistant Accounts Officers, at a function held at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai.
In a rare gesture during the event, the Chief Minister stepped down from the stage and walked up to R Akshayalakshmi, a recruit in her 40th week of pregnancy, to personally hand over her appointment order.
According to an official release, the appointments are part of the State government's efforts to strengthen the human resources of the power sector and improve the delivery of uninterrupted, high-quality electricity services across the State.
During a review meeting of the Energy Department chaired by the Chief Minister, it was noted that more than 70,000 posts remained vacant across various levels in the electricity utility, contributing to several operational challenges. Following this, Vijay directed officials to take immediate steps to recruit at least 15,000 employees within a year to bolster the department's workforce and create employment opportunities for youth.
He also instructed officials to complete the appointment process for the 401 candidates selected by the TNPSC without delay, in accordance with board regulations.
Based on these directions, the appointment orders were issued to the 383 Assistant Engineers and 18 Assistant Accounts Officers selected for the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL).
The government said the recruitment drive, undertaken as part of its commitment to transparent governance, would enhance the efficiency of the Energy Department and strengthen the manpower resources required to provide a reliable, uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
Energy and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Electricity Board Chairman J Radhakrishnan, Energy Department Principal Secretary Anil Meshram and other senior officials participated in the event.