Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday handed over appointment orders to 401 persons, of whom 383 were assistant engineers (electrical) selected through the TNPSC.

Among them were 18 assistant accounts officers appointed to the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited.

The orders were handed over at a function held at Kalaivanar Arangam here on behalf of the Energy Department.

In a rare gesture, the CM stepped down from the stage, walked up to R Akshayalakshmi, a recruit in her 40th week of pregnancy, and personally handed over her appointment order.

During a review meeting chaired by the CM recently, it was noted that one of the reasons for the problems prevailing in the Electricity Board was a huge vacancy of over 70,000 posts at various levels.

The CM later ordered the initiation of measures to fill at least 15,000 posts within a year, aiming to generate employment for young people while ensuring an uninterrupted power supply.

The appointments reflect the state government's commitment to transparent governance, according to a press release.

It said the recruitments would improve the Energy Department's operational efficiency and strengthen its workforce to ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply to consumers.

Minister for Energy Resources C T R Nirmal Kumar, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Chairman J Radhakrishnan, Energy Department Principal Secretary Anil Meshram, and other senior officials were present.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.