On April 7, the Madar substation of Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (AVVNL) became the first electricity office to have a women-only staff of workers and engineers to ensure the station runs smoothly and is properly maintained. An approximate of 15 women, including an assistant engineer, have been employed in the office.
In a statement to the Times of India, MD of AVVNL, VS Bhati, said, “Only women employees will work in the substation and this is the first electricity substation in Rajasthan where only women work,” making it the first ever women’s substation.
Bhati further added that staff at this substation in departments like accounting, administration, and even line workers, engineers, and peons, were women. The staff will work on supply of electricity, maintenance, billing, operations, revenue generation and complaint solving.
According to the report, one employee who preferred to remain unnamed, told the newspaper that ‘she is happy to become a part of such an operation where women will get an opportunity to prove themselves’.
Assistant engineer Manisha Sharma stated that there are 39,000 customers under Madar substation, and maintaining electricity and operating it, was a “challenging task” but was glad to have to opportunity to “prove themselves”.
Divisional commissioner of Ajmer Veena Pradhan, while inaugurating the first all-women power substation, was quoted as saying that, “the women’s power substation is a symbol of women empowerment.” During her inauguration speech, she urged all women employees to prove their talent and added that a move like this will also encourage women to be independent.
*Image for representational purposes only