Electricity employees to intensify protest as state clear the bidding process for privatisation
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ May 18,2025
The UP Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, which has been protesting the proposed privatisation of power distribution in 42 districts under Agra and Varanasi Discoms tooth and nail, accused the UPPCL management of misleading the Energy Task Force (ETF) for getting the bidding document cleared in the ETF meeting. UPPCL put the wrong figures of Rs.65000 crores losses of electricity distribution companies in the next financial year.
There is a lot of anger among the electricity workers regarding the chairman of UP Power Corporation. The Empowered Committee of the Energy Task Force, chaired by the chief secretary approved the bidding document presented by UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) after detailed discussions and now the matter will go to the regulatory commission, from where the privatization will be approved.
The employees declared that they will not accept privatization at any cost. There will be a work boycott and protest meeting daily in the afternoon from 21 May to 28 May. If even after this the management does not withdraw the decision of privatization, then an indefinite work boycott will begin from May 29.
Electricity employees to intensify protest as state clear the bidding process for privatisation. The committee officials accused the corporation management of wanting to impose a work boycott on the peaceful and democratic movement going on against privatization. The corporation chairman has made his intentions clear by sending a letter to all the district officials and police officials. Engineers were also threatened through video conferencing. After privatization, 26500 regular service employees will become additional in other corporations. Where will they be accommodated? About 50 thousand contract workers will be removed immediately after privatization. The employees declared that they will not accept privatization at any cost.
As per rules, UPPCL needs to get the bidding document examined and cleared by UPERC after submission by the UPPCL. Once the document is cleared, UPPCL will invite competitive bids from private companies to take over the power distribution in 42 districts under the Agra and Varanasi Discoms.
