THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, NOVEMBER 10, 2026
Amid protests by contractual workers at Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar, Tata
Power-led Odisha distribution companies (Discoms) on Tuesday categorically
denied reports of employee retrenchment, clarifying that only 374 workers have
been identified for routine redeployment in accordance with established procedures.
Addressing a press conference at the Technology Centre of Tata Power
Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL), the Discom management said all
staffing and operational decisions were being taken in strict compliance with
government guidelines and regulatory frameworks. It also reaffirmed its
commitment to ensuring uninterrupted and quality power supply across the state.
Of the 15,300 contractual workers currently engaged under Tata Power's
Odisha operations, 374 have been identified for redeployment through Annual
Maintenance Contract (AMC) vendors, officials said, adding that nearly 200 of
them had already reported at their newly assigned duty locations.
The management has asked the remaining workers to resume their duties by
November 15, assuring that its doors remain open to all those willing to return
to work. However, it cautioned that failure to report within the stipulated
deadline would compel Business Associates to put contingency arrangements in
place to ensure that essential electricity services are not disrupted.
Highlighting the expansion of its workforce, the company said the number
of contractual workers engaged under Tata Power in Odisha had increased from
around 6,000 in 2020 to more than 15,300 at present. The combined contractual workforce
across all state Discoms has also more than doubled to over 55,000 during the
period.
The management said the expansion reflected the scale of operational
activities undertaken by the power distribution sector to cater to the growing
requirements of consumers and strengthen electricity infrastructure across
Odisha.
Despite serving nearly one crore consumers across the state and
undertaking extensive infrastructure upgrades and safety-related initiatives
over the past six years, the company said distribution losses had been
significantly reduced while electricity tariffs for general consumers had
remained unchanged.
The officials maintained that network reliability, operational efficiency
and customer satisfaction continued to be the company's foremost priorities,
stressing that the ongoing exercise was aimed at ensuring effective deployment
of manpower rather than retrenchment.
The press conference was addressed by Gajanan Kale, Chief of Odisha Distribution Business and CEO of TPCODL, along with senior officials of the company.
The management reiterated that maintaining reliable electricity distribution and protecting consumer interests remained its central responsibility, even as it sought the cooperation of contractual workers in ensuring the smooth functioning of power distribution services across Odisha.
