Thiruvananthapuram: The Controller and Auditor General (CAG) has initiated disciplinary action against KSEB directorate board members for agreeing upon an untimely ‘pay and pension’ revision. It should be noted that the move from the electricity board officials comes at a time when KSEB is crippled by losses of over Rs 6,500 crores.

KSEB had executed a pay revision a couple of years ago in 2021. The board had incurred an extra expenditure of Rs 734.4 crores in this regard. As part of the revision in 2021, the salary-pension share rose to a staggering 46.59 percent of the total revenue of the board.

The board had earlier faced severe criticism for initiating pay revision without seeking the consent of the government in 2016. Ultimately, the public will have to ‘pay the price’ for such hasty decisions of the board members. 

In January, 2021, public sector institutions in the state were instructed to execute pay revision, only after receiving the nod from the state government. CAG noted that the present decision of the board is in violation of the government order as well. 

Meanwhile, all the extra ‘expenses’ of the electricity board will ultimately fall as a burden on the common public. As per the latest revision, the board will have to shell out at least Rs 1,317.66 crores in the form of arrears and this will end up adding an extra ‘56 paise’ to every unit of electricity. Similarly, addition in the retirement benefits of the KSEB employees will also have an indirect impact on the electricity charges in the state.

It is learnt that the KSEB employees are receiving a hefty amount in the name of dearness allowance, which is way higher than those given in other government departments, further adding to the expenditure of the state electricity board.