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Human resource planning - a challenge

Today officers at THDCL (Tehri Hydro) , now a mini navratna status public sector

organization unfold the not so easy Human resource planning that they have experienced since

the incorporation of the corporation. While unfolding the sequence of events became more vivid.

THDCl was incorporated in July 1988, as a joint venture Corporation of Govt. Of India and Govt. of

UP. The Tehri Dam Project was taken over from UP irrigation department (UPID). The workforce

engaged by UPID in the Project consisted of regular, work charged and muster roll employees.

Though the project execution strategy of UPID was to take up works by engaging contractors, there

was a predominant reliance on deploying departmental resources, e.g., heavy machinery and their

maintenances. To handle these tasks large numbers of workmen were engaged in mechanical

workshop and stores division. Just before the transfer of Tehri Dam Project to THDC, a large number

of workmen from Kalagarh Project of UPID were transferred to Tehri Dam Project. In all 1100 no. of

work charged / muster roll employees were absorbed in THDC from UPID. During the initial years the

amalgamation of the staff transferred from UPID to THDC was an uphill task. The employees of UPID

were not comfortable in getting absorbed in a PSU. In the formative years THDC was beset with a

very hostile environment wherein demonstrations, gherao, Dharna and strikes were order of the

day. This phrase of transition was tackled by THDC with lots of grit and determination through open

dialogues, discussions and subsequent agreements with the unions. By now, they have been fully

integrated into the THDC system.

The challenges envisaged were:

1. Maintaining Man –MW Ratio

2. Induction of UPID workforce in new the corporate entity(evolving HR

policies to facilitate regular absorption)

3. Assimilation of UPID workforce into one composite culture of THDC

4. To address effectively the issues of Job redundancies (evolving the job

deceptions to fit into the new role(s)

5. To maintain harmonious industrial relations

6. To fulfil aspirations of the people by creating opportunities for regular

job and other employment opportunities through contractors

7. The HRM policy and approach being accommodative during project

execution maintain efficiency and service delivery

8. Magnitude of responsibility in time schedule in which various

components of the projects have to be completed.

9. Effective co-ordination between various departments’ external agencies

such as District authority.

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In March, 1994 Govt. Of India accorded clearance for execution for Tehri

Hydro Electric Project (1000 MW), and for essential/committed works of

Khoteshwar HE Project (400 MW) and Tehri Pump Storage Plant (1000 MW).

Manpower considered to meet the immediate requirement was as shown in

table 1

Table 1

Manpower strength as on 31.07.1994

Manpower requirement assessed upto 31.12.1996

CMD /Directors 02 04

Executives 277 523

Non-Executives 1867 2036

Total 2146 2563

In the year 1996, Govt. Of India constituted the Hanumantha Rao

Committee to examine rehabilitation and environment aspects of the

Tehri Project. Among other things, the issue of employment to persons

belonging to Project Affected Families was considered by the

Hanumantha Rao Committee Report are reproduced below:

“It was noted by the Committee that when the project was being

implemented in the state sector, the Govt. Of UP had intended to

provide employment to one member of each affected family, though

very little was done in the direction by the State Project Authorities till

the project works remained with them. The project including

rehabilitation was transferred to THDC in 1989-90. It is recognized that

the THDC does not have large scale employment opportunities, as its

requirements are limited and mostly in the specialized categories. It is

indicated by THDC that even after the project gets commissioned, the

requirement of operational staff would be extremely limited. It has

further been noted by the committee that as per policy of the THDC,

preference in employment in available vacancies is given to the

dependents of the displaced families subject to their meeting the laid

down qualifications and experience requirements”.

Out of total 2170 persons, 1090 persons came from UPID/UPSEB. It

was also observed by the committee that during the past few years

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THDC is giving employment as far as possible from the Tehri District in

the Workmen & Supervisor category. The employment given during

THDC’S tenure is about 61% (table 2- 492 out of 801) from the Tehri

District, besides about 125 from other Districts of Garhwal Region. The

committee is of the view that the existing policy of giving preference in

employment to the project affected persons, particularly in the

category of workmen & supervisors may be continued. However, it has

been felt that there are limits to giving preference in employment to

the people from the other Districts of Garhwal Region, as the idea

behind preference is to compensate the people who have got displaced

or have been affected by the project. To mitigate the sentiments/

hardships of project affected people, efforts were made for

recruitment of employees in workmen and supervisory category

exclusively from the submergence area of Tehri Dam Project i.e. Doob

Kshetra. Demands for more employment to persons belonging to

project affected families were considered as far as possible in proper

perspective. Lot of demands were made through agitations for seeking

more and more employment. The scope for direct employment was

limited and to the extent required, employment was provided to

eligible persons from project affected families on preferential basis,

subject to meeting eligibility requirements.

Table 2: The area wise break-up of the employees in the THDC

(As submitted to Hanumantha Rao Committee in the year 1997)

Category of employees

Submergence Area

Other parts of Tehri districts

Other Garhwal districts

Other Areas

Total

Executive 24 15 34 209 282

Supervisor 63 76 29 85 253

Workmen including clerical staff, skilled and unskilled workers

312 300 247 631 1490

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Deputationists

13 23 10 45 91

Total 412 414 320 970 2116

Recent offers issued

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Total 464 414 320 972 2170

During the visit of Hanumantha Rao Committee at the project site, a demand

was raised by the project affected families that employment to one member

from each affected family be provided by the corporation as per the orders of

the Government of UP. The implication of the demand was extremely

unrealistic as the man power position would have gone high, without

requirement of the same. The Hanumantha Rao Committee examined various

aspects of the orders of Government of UP for providing employment pressed

by the Project Affected Families. The committee after having carefully

considered the demand concluded that orders of the Government of UP were

not applicable on the Tehri Project. The committee concluded “The THDC

Project was transferred from Government of UP to THDC as a Government of

India and Government of UP Corporation in 1989. The government of UP

orders do not impose categorically any obligation on the part of THDC to give

employment to atleast one member each of the dispossessed family.”

Table 3 : Manpower on the project as on 01.01.2007

Government of India considered the recommendations of Hanumantha

Rao Committee and inter-alia decided following

(a) The committee is of the view that the existing policy of giving

preference in the employment to the project affected persons,

particularly in the category of workmen & Supervisors may be

continued. The Govt. Of Up orders do not impose categorically any

Category Total

Executives 631

Supervisors 265

Workmen 1448

Total 2344

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obligation on the part of THDC to give employment to at least one

member each of the dispossessed family.

(b) Major contractors working at the project should be asked to

employee a certain percentage of local persons in the category of

unskilled workers, clerical staff & supervisors from the Tehri District

if available”.

Few officers were debating as to why organizations have to work under

such pressures. Others were thinking under the given circumstances

what they did was that the best. Yet a few , were boating of those

challenging situations and how they succeded and asked their team

mates do they have another such example in the country?

Questions

1. Was HRP a routine process for THDCL? Do you agree or disagree

why?

2. What was the biggest challenge and how was it addressed?

3. If such a situation was in a private sector, in your opinion how it

would have been addressed?

4. What are the salient features of HRP at THDCL. What are the lessons

drawn?

5. Merger and acquisition is the biggest challenge for HR, how?

Elucidate another live example for any sector and discuss how HRP

was handled at the time of merger and acquisition? How different

was it from that at THDCL

Source: A.S. Bisht, V.S. Rawal, S.K. Sharma, HRM, Water and Energy

International Special issue on Tehri Dam Project January- March 2007,

Vol 64.No.1 p.51-53 Updated information from S. K Sharma.