The federal government has decided to discontinue the provision of free electricity units for employees of distribution companies (DISCOs), generation companies (GENCOs), and the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
This decision, communicated through a notification by the Power Division on Tuesday.
Follows the approval by the federal cabinet for the monetization of the previously offered free electricity units to WAPDA and ex-WAPDA employees.
Including those in DISCOs, GENCOs, National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), and Power Information Technology Company (PITC).
The new directive mandates that all in-service employees in Grade-17 and above must pay their electricity bills issued by the respective DISCOs using their assigned reference numbers.
For employees receiving a certain allowance of free units, the government has outlined the monetary compensation they will receive.
Employees in GENCOs, who are allowed 650 units, will receive a payment of Rs. 24,570, while those in DISCOs and WAPDA eligible for 600 units per month will receive Rs. 21,996.
Staff in Grade-19, entitled to 880 units, will now receive compensation of Rs. 37,594, and Grade-21 personnel entitled to 1,300 units will receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 55,536.
This move signifies a significant policy shift, and employees will now be responsible for covering their electricity expenses, marking the end of the practice of providing free electricity units to the mentioned government entities.