DW BUREAU / Chandigarh As the centre started the process for the privatization of the power distribution of all UTs including the Chandigarh electricity department, Pawan Kumar Sharma, XEN Electricity UT Chandigarh, has been nominated as Nodal Officer to take action for all activities relating to the Electricity wing of Engineering Department (EWEDC).The Ministry of Power, Government of India has decided to privatize the power distribution of all Union Territories including Chandigarh. The process of privatization of EWEDC is targeted to be completed by December, 2020. Pawan Kumar Sharma, XEN Electricity UT Chandigarh, has been nominated as Nodal Officer to take action for all activities relating to EWEDC including tendering, coordination with various Privatization departments, Ministry, transaction advisor, etc. The Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a Government of India undertaking, has recently appointed Deloitte as consultant for the privatization of UT Electricity Department. Opposing the privatization, Gopal Dutt Joshi, general secretary, UT Powermen Union, said it was the most profit-earning department of the UT and despite staff shortage, the department was serving the public with the best services. Chandigarh Administration had earlier clarified and assured the employees that their services and related benefits will be safeguarded and their employment terms will be similar or they will be better than the present service terms. No retrenchment of employees will happen and no employee will be transferred outside. (editor@dailyworld.in)