Board Chairman Nalin Bhatt said on Saturday that the existing three zones of the state would be divided into five zones. The central and south zone, which were one, would now be divided into two separate zones.

The south zone will be headquartered in Surat and it will include Valsad, Surat and Bharuch circles, while the central zone will be headquartered in Vadodara and will include Vadodara city, Vadodara district, Anand and Godhra circles.

Stating that the decision, pending since long, was taken at a Board meeting, Bhatt said though decentralising the zones would account for an additional expenditure of Rs 1.25 crore, the facilities would be of great help to the consumers.

The Board also decided to seek financial assistance from the Rural Electrification Corporation and the Power Finance Corporation to make up for the losses suffered during the cyclone which hit the State earlier this year.

In another measure towards improving the Board's efficiency, a meeting was organised for the first time with all unions and associations representing the 47,000 employees of the Board throughout the State on Saturday. All top officials were present in the meeting.

The meeting, presided over by Bhatt, discussed at length various issues concerning the staff as well as contemplated on suggestions for better services to the 64 lakh GEB consumers in the State.