Chennai, June 25 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government has announced a major recruitment drive in the state power sector, with plans to fill a total of 20,449 vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) during the current financial year.

The move is aimed at strengthening the workforce of the state’s electricity utilities and improving power distribution and maintenance services across Tamil Nadu.

Announcing this in the Assembly on Thursday, Law and Energy Resources Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar said the large-scale recruitment would address long-pending staff shortages in various technical and administrative wings of the power utility.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Department released a white paper, which will serve as a key document for the growth of the electricity sector, transparency, and future advancements.

According to the Minister, the recruitment proposal for the financial year 2026-27 includes the appointment of 15,058 personnel across multiple categories. These include Assistant Engineers, Technical Assistants, Junior Assistants, and Multi-Purpose Field Assistants, among other posts that are essential for the smooth functioning of the state’s electricity generation, transmission and distribution network.

In addition to these fresh recruitments, the government has also proposed filling 5,391 Gangman posts. These appointments relate to candidates who had already been selected in 2021 but whose recruitment was delayed due to pending approval from the Finance Department.

With the inclusion of these appointments, the total number of vacancies proposed to be filled during the year has reached 20,449.

The Minister said the recruitment initiative reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening Tamil Nadu’s power infrastructure by ensuring that electricity utilities have adequate manpower to meet rising demand and improve service delivery.

The filling of the long-pending Gangman vacancies is expected to provide relief to thousands of candidates who have been awaiting appointments for several years. Gangmen play a crucial role in field-level maintenance of power lines, fault rectification and ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

Similarly, the recruitment of engineers, technical staff, and administrative personnel is expected to enhance the operational efficiency of TNEB and support the state’s expanding electricity network amid increasing industrial and domestic power consumption.

Officials said the recruitment process would be taken up in phases after the necessary administrative and financial approvals are completed.

–IANS

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