Ajmer discom asks officials to watch motivational videos on YouTube, later withdraws order

Jaipur: A senior official of the Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam (power discom) has directed the officials across 17 districts to watch, listen and share the motivational content on the YouTube channel of an engineer in the department.

Additional chief engineer (training) S K Nagrani issued an official order on October 9 saying that the employees who come without listening to the motivational contents of the YouTube channel will not be allowed to attend periodical safety discussions and disciplinary action will be taken against such "careless" employees.

He directed the junior engineer (safety) to create WhatsApp groups for all 17 circles, add all engineers and share the posts in the groups every Friday.

He instructed that the officers and engineers would further share the posts in groups pertaining to their subordinates as well as electricity consumers.

Along with the order, a feedback form was issued which has a column for suggestions or inspiration or learning from ten creations or contents of the channel.

"Junior Engineer (Security), Ajmer discom will post all the motivational content available on the YouTube channel "Jeene Ki Raah Surendra Kumar". The videos will be released in all the WhatsApp groups every Friday and all the members of the group will listen to them and share them with their subordinate employees and on the WhatsApp groups related to electricity consumers every Friday," the order states.

The order further stated that any employee who comes without listening to the motivational compositions will not be allowed to participate in the safety discussion and disciplinary action against such "careless" employees will be taken.

"If any employee informs the concerned Assistant Engineer well in advance about his inability to be present before the start of the safety discussion, then in his place another employee, who has heard all the motivational compositions, can be proposed to participate in the safety discussion," the order said.

When contacted, MD of Ajmer discom K P Verma told PTI that the order was withdrawn and an inquiry had been ordered.

While the ACE (Training) SK Nagrani was not available for comments, executive engineer (safety) Surendra Kumar Mourya argued how could some people question the spread of motivational content.

While justifying the order, he said that he would meet the higher officials to get the arrangements (mentioned in the order) across all electricity companies of the state.

"The posts are motivational. What was wrong with the order? It should be done in all the discoms. I will meet the senior officials to present my side," he said.

Ajmer discom is engaged in distribution and supply electricity in 17 districts of Rajasthan, namely Ajmer, Banswara, Beawar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Deedwana-Kuchaman, Dungarpur, Jhunjhunu, Kekri, Nagaur, Neem ka Thana, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Salumbar, Shahpura, Sikar and Udaipur.