Bengaluru:Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday announced that his government will begin phased recruitment to fill 35,000 vacant posts in the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) and declared the regularisation of services of 532 civic workers in the department. Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Employees’ Association, the CM said the state government is committed to fulfilling its promises to the workforce.

“Ours is a government that walks the talk. We will examine your demands and take appropriate action,” he said. Addressing concerns over pensions, the Chief Minister said the National Pension Scheme (NPS) was implemented by the central government. “But we have already promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in our election manifesto. We will hold discussions and take necessary steps in that direction.” Siddaramaiah lauded the power corporation employees for their service and underscored Karnataka’s legacy in the electricity sector.

“Karnataka was the first in Asia to produce electricity in 1902, launched its first supply company in Bengaluru in 1905, and supplied power to the Mysore Palace by 1908,” he said. He noted that the state now generates 34,000 megawatts, with plans to scale it to 60,000 megawatts, a move aimed at ensuring at least seven hours of daytime power supply to farmers. “The electricity sector is essential. You have been working with dedication. The government is ready to meet your demands. We are with you — and we ask you to stand with us too,” he told the employees. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also spoke at the event, asserted that the Congress government will not permit the privatisation of Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs) as long as it remains in power.

“As long as Siddaramaiah and I are in power, we won’t allow privatisation of ESCOMs in Karnataka. There were attempts to allow entry of private players, but I did not allow it,” Shivakumar said. He claimed that there was significant pressure from the Centre during his earlier tenure as the Energy Minister, especially after the BJP government privatised ESCOMs in Mumbai, Delhi, and other cities.

However, he said he resisted the pressure and stood by the efficiency of the corporation’s workforce. “When I took over, the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) loss stood at 19–20 per cent. We brought it down to 10 per cent, which is now a benchmark in the country,” Shivakumar said, noting that most states continue to report losses of 17–18 per cent. He added that during his tenure, the state’s generation capacity doubled from 11,000 MW to 23,000 MW, and that 24,000 employees were recruited through a transparent process, ensuring job creation without corruption.

Highlighting innovations like the Pavagada Solar Park, Shivakumar said the government adopted a land-leasing model rather than acquisition, which allowed farmers to retain ownership and earn annual rental income — a model later adopted by the Union government