Srinagar — In a swift turnaround following public outrage and media scrutiny, the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) has withdrawn its controversial order that threatened to withhold salaries of employees who failed to register for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana by July 24.
The move comes within hours Ziraat Times exclusively reported on the internal circular issued by the Executive Engineer of JPDCL’s Electric Division-III, Jammu, directing all officers and staff to mandatorily register on the government’s solar rooftop portal or face salary stoppage for the month of July 2025.
The report, which generated significant public attention, raised questions about the legality and ethicality of linking a voluntary welfare scheme to employee compensation. Legal experts and civil society groups had denounced the directive as coercive and without administrative merit.
Sources within JPDCL confirmed to Ziraat Times on Wednesday that the circular had been “revoked with immediate effect” following internal consultations and communication from senior officials at the Power Development Department (PDD).
“It was never the intention of the management to penalize employees. The directive was misinterpreted at the divisional level and has now been withdrawn,” said a senior JPDCL official, requesting anonymity.
Employees across JPDCL divisions had expressed deep resentment over the initial directive. Some had even approached employee unions and legal counsel to challenge the order. The latest development has been welcomed by the staff as a victory for reason and fairness.
“We are not opposed to solar schemes or clean energy adoption. But forcing employees to register under threat of salary cuts was unjustified,” said an employee representative in Jammu.
