Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab Power Dept recruits 2,600 lineman apprentices; Simplifies rules for new power connections
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 10, 2025: Punjab Power Minister Sanjeev Arora announced the completion of the selection process for 2,600 Lineman Apprentices—including 2,500 for PSPCL and 100 for PSTCL—under the state government’s ongoing recruitment and skill development drive.
Arora said the Bhagwant Singh Mann government is focused on strengthening PSPCL and PSTCL through manpower enhancement and efficiency reforms. Since April 2022, 8,984 new employees have been recruited across departments, including Assistant Linemen, Internal Auditors, and Revenue Accountants.
In a major pro-consumer reform, the government has simplified the procedure for obtaining new power connections and load changes.
Consumers applying for connections up to 50 kW will no longer need to submit test reports from licensed electrical contractors. Instead, a simple online declaration will suffice, expediting approvals and cutting red tape.
For higher loads, the CEI inspection will remain mandatory only when a new transformer is installed. Arora emphasized that safety norms will continue to be strictly enforced and that these changes will not apply to the agricultural (AP) category.
He also highlighted that PSPCL, with a workforce of around 30,000, falls under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and is required to engage Apprentices amounting to 2.5–15% of total manpower.
The newly selected apprentices will undergo a one-year intensive Lineman training, combining theoretical lessons with hands-on field experience, and will receive a stipend of ₹7,700 per month.
Calling the move a step toward “trust-based, efficient, and transparent governance,” Arora said the initiative reflects Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision of empowering Punjab’s youth with employable skills and ensuring consumer-friendly reforms in the power sector.