SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir power sector is operating with significant human resource gaps, with 4,677 vacancies and a heavy dependence on 10,544 casual workers against a permanent workforce of 12,312 employees, the government said on Monday.
The figures were disclosed in response to a starred Assembly question raised by Kuldeep Raj Dubey.
The data indicates that while the sector has over twelve thousand permanent employees, nearly half that strength is mirrored by vacancies and a parallel reliance on casual labour, including PDL and TDL workers, who continue to shoulder a substantial portion of operational responsibilities.
Across key utilities—Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited and Jammu and Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation Limited—the workforce structure reflects a systemic imbalance, with critical functions such as maintenance, fault repair and field operations often dependent on non-permanent staff.
The government acknowledged that manpower shortages, along with infrastructure constraints, are affecting power supply, maintenance efficiency and grievance redressal mechanisms.
To address the shortfall, recruitment processes have been initiated. The government said 60 posts of Junior Engineer (Electrical) have been referred to the recruiting agency, with the selection list awaited.
Additionally, fresh recruitment has been initiated in JPDCL for 260 posts, including 252 Junior Assistants, 6 Technician-III positions and 2 Junior Stenographers, with financial concurrence currently under process.
Officials said these steps are aimed at strengthening service delivery and reducing dependence on temporary manpower.
Despite this, the data highlights a structural challenge: a large segment of the workforce sustaining the power infrastructure continues to be outside the permanent employment framework, raising concerns over long-term workforce stability and service reliability.
