Key Takeaways
- LESCO has ended the free electricity unit facility for senior officers in Grades 18 to 20.
- The benefit, which had been available for nearly three decades, now requires these officers to pay their bills.
- Other power distribution companies have obtained court stay orders allowing them to continue receiving free electricity.
The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has withdrawn the long-standing free electricity unit facility for its senior officers in Grades 18 to 20, marking a significant change after nearly three decades of this benefit. According to sources within LESCO, the move is part of broader cost-saving measures and reforms aimed at improving the country's power sector.
Under the previous policy, Grade 18 officers received up to 6,000 free electricity units annually, while Grade 19 officers were entitled to 8,000 units and Grade 20 officers received 10,000 free units each year. This benefit had been a significant perk for senior employees in the company.
However, other power distribution companies (DISCOs) have obtained stay orders from courts that allow their senior officers to continue receiving free electricity. These rulings have created a disparity among similar positions across different organizations within the sector.
LESCO officers have argued that the restoration of this benefit in some DISCOs is not justified and have called for a uniform policy across the power sector. They have urged the Ministry of Energy to introduce a consistent nationwide policy by ending the free electricity facility for all senior officers, rather than allowing different rules to apply in various organizations.
The development comes as the government continues its efforts to reduce costs and reform the country’s power sector. Neither the Ministry of Energy nor LESCO had issued an official statement on this reported policy change at the time of filing this report.
Sources within LESCO stated that while they have implemented the withdrawal of the facility, officers in several other DISCOs are still benefiting from free electricity due to court orders. This situation has led to a call for uniformity and consistency across all power distribution companies.
