Jammu, Sep 19: A high-level delegation led by District Development Council (DDC) Suchetgarh Chairman Taranjit Singh Tony met Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) Managing Director Gurpal Singh (IAS) today, seeking urgent resolution of the 12-year-long pending wages of 95 PDL/TDL and other workers.
Tony also urged MD to provide immediate relief to local shopkeepers, small-scale industries, and micro-business owners by announcing a one-time amnesty on pending electricity bills.
The delegation apprised the MD that these employees—engaged before March 2015—have been working without salaries for over a decade. Despite submitting their papers six times through the Chief Engineer’s office and the proper official channel, no wages have been released. Tony said the workers’ families are facing extreme financial distress, calling the situation “a grave injustice that cannot be ignored any longer.”
Managing Director Gurpal Singh expressed serious concern, remarking that “these workers are the only people in truly vulnerable jobs and must be looked after with kindness by the Board of Directors of JPDCL.” He assured the delegation that the matter will be expedited, cases would be placed before the Board for immediate approval, and that the workers’ further joining and service will be regularized to provide long-term security.
Tony urged the Corporation to set a time-bound schedule for clearance of arrears and demanded that the Finance and Power Development Departments coordinate to release funds without delay. He also appealed to Lieutenant Governor Administration to personally monitor the issue so that “no daily wager or casual worker is left unheard again.”
The meeting, which lasted over an hour, included senior union representatives and local panchayat leaders, all of whom echoed the call for swift justice. The MD assured them that a detailed report will be prepared within days and placed before the upcoming Board meeting for a final decision.
This development adds momentum to the long struggle of PDL/TDL and other casual workers across Jammu and Kashmir, many of whom have been fighting for regularization and fair compensation for more than a decade.
During the meeting, Tony also urged JPDCL Managing Director to provide immediate relief to local shopkeepers, small-scale industries, and micro-business owners by announcing a one-time amnesty on pending electricity bills.
Tony highlighted that these sectors suffered severe financial setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many traders and entrepreneurs unaTony leads PDL/TDL, other workers delegation to JPDCL MD, seeks release of 12-year pending wages
Tony urges one-time power bill amnesty for shopkeepers, small industries
Jammu, September 19, 2025:
A high-level delegation led by District Development Council (DDC) Suchetgarh Chairman Taranjit Singh Tony met Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) Managing Director Gurpal Singh (IAS) today, seeking urgent resolution of the 12-year-long pending wages of 95 PDL/TDL and other workers.
Tony also urged MD to provide immediate relief to local shopkeepers, small-scale industries, and micro-business owners by announcing a one-time amnesty on pending electricity bills.
The delegation apprised the MD that these employees—engaged before March 2015—have been working without salaries for over a decade. Despite submitting their papers six times through the Chief Engineer’s office and the proper official channel, no wages have been released. Tony said the workers’ families are facing extreme financial distress, calling the situation “a grave injustice that cannot be ignored any longer.”
Managing Director Gurpal Singh expressed serious concern, remarking that “these workers are the only people in truly vulnerable jobs and must be looked after with kindness by the Board of Directors of JPDCL.” He assured the delegation that the matter will be expedited, cases would be placed before the Board for immediate approval, and that the workers’ further joining and service will be regularized to provide long-term security.
Tony urged the Corporation to set a time-bound schedule for clearance of arrears and demanded that the Finance and Power Development Departments coordinate to release funds without delay. He also appealed to Lieutenant Governor Administration to personally monitor the issue so that “no daily wager or casual worker is left unheard again.”
The meeting, which lasted over an hour, included senior union representatives and local panchayat leaders, all of whom echoed the call for swift justice. The MD assured them that a detailed report will be prepared within days and placed before the upcoming Board meeting for a final decision.
This development adds momentum to the long struggle of PDL/TDL and other casual workers across Jammu and Kashmir, many of whom have been fighting for regularization and fair compensation for more than a decade.
During the meeting, Tony also urged JPDCL Managing Director to provide immediate relief to local shopkeepers, small-scale industries, and micro-business owners by announcing a one-time amnesty on pending electricity bills.
Tony highlighted that these sectors suffered severe financial setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many traders and entrepreneurs unable to clear their dues. He said the penal interest and surcharges on overdue bills have become an unbearable burden for small businesses struggling to recover.
He appealed to the JPDCL management and the Board of Directors to consider a special amnesty scheme, stressing that “such a step will revive local trade, protect thousands of livelihoods, and give a fresh start to small industries that form the backbone of the region’s economy.”ble to clear their dues. He said the penal interest and surcharges on overdue bills have become an unbearable burden for small businesses struggling to recover.
He appealed to the JPDCL management and the Board of Directors to consider a special amnesty scheme, stressing that “such a step will revive local trade, protect thousands of livelihoods, and give a fresh start to small industries that form the backbone of the region’s economy.”
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