Sri Lanka's Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, has issued directives to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) management to devise a mechanism for recovering loans and interest amounts from employees who have availed themselves of financial facilities.
According to data from the CEB finance division, employees' outstanding loans total approximately Rs 12 billion, with 2/3rds of the loan interest component being covered by the CEB.
Wijesekera emphasized that the interest paid by the CEB on behalf of its employees is currently recuperated from consumer tariffs. In light of this, he has instructed the CEB management to establish a system to recover the loan and interest amounts directly from the loan beneficiaries without burdening electricity consumers.
The minister also disclosed that he has directed the CEB management to explore potential services that can be outsourced in the future to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. This move is part of broader efforts to streamline operations within the electricity sector.
In a related development, last week witnessed the interdiction of electrical workers who were protesting against the restructuring of the CEB. The minister's actions reflect a proactive approach to address financial challenges and ensure responsible management of resources within the power and energy sector.
