• Notes being short-staffed in many areas 

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) consists of an “unusually” high number of politically appointed employees, causing the Water Supply Ministry’s unskilled workforce to stand close to 70%, Minister of Water Supply Jeevan Thondaman revealed.

In response to a question raised by a parliamentarian during the parliamentary session yesterday (3), Thondaman further emphasised that the NWSDB experiences a situation of being short-staffed in many areas while being over-staffed in some. 

“I had to deal with an unusually high number of political appointments, and today, the ministry stands close to 70% in terms of the unskilled labour force. We are short-staffed in many areas and over-staffed in some.”

He made these remarks while replying to a question regarding whether the ministry has any capacity to recruit the labourers hired through contractors for the NWSDB’s pipe installations so as to make the work more efficient while safeguarding their jobs, as these labourers are now facing severe issues pertaining to their wages. In response, Thondaman also pointed out that it is not possible to give permanent appointments against this backdrop, citing the current expenditures of the ministry. “So that is the case. We have tried to do our restructuring but at the same time we cannot give permanent appointments.”

“Before this water tariff hike that took place recently, it was the first time in 10 years that a water tariff hike has come in,” he said, adding that “with the electricity increase of 66% initially, we have to pay close to Rs. 425 million a month”. “Apart from that, with our loan component, Rs. 2.8 billion was going out every month,” he emphasised.

Furthermore, he stated that it is basically not sustainable for the ministry to recruit permanent workers, highlighting that what the ministry is trying to do is to enhance the skills of the existing unskilled workers.