Delay in reinstatement of PBS staff raises concerns

 
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) has yet to take any visible steps to reinstate 44 dismissed officials and employees of Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS), despite directives from both a court and the Electricity Department under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

According to sources, the affected employees have remained out of work for a prolonged period and are facing severe financial hardship. Many families are struggling to meet basic expenses, while some children are reportedly at risk of discontinuing their education.

The Electricity Department, through Memorandum No. 72 dated February 10, 2026, instructed the authorities concerned to reinstate the dismissed employees.

A leader of the Rural Electricity Association alleged that the Electricity Department had formed committees and issued several directives in an effort to resolve disputes between REB and PBS. However, he claimed that REB had not taken effective measures to implement those decisions.

The association leader warned that continued delays in implementing the directives could create fresh instability at the field level. The issue of reinstatement remains unresolved despite repeated efforts by the authorities to settle the longstanding conflict between REB and PBS, according to those involved in the process.