In its 53rd year, AIPEF spearheads the struggle against privatisation of power sector- V K Gupta
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ August 16,2025
All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has witnessed a remarkable upward journey since inception in 1973 under numerous eminent power engineers like Harbans Singh, R S Verma, Bhopal Singh, Shrikant Mane, Chidambaram, RSS Chauhan, J C Marathe, Padamjit Singh and Shailendra Dubey and today it celebrates its 53rd.foundation day.
AIPEF was formed to establish a professional organization for the improvement of the power supply situation in the country and to simultaneously safeguard the interests of the power engineers’ fraternity. AIPEF provides a forum for discussion and exchange of views amongst power engineers across the country on various policy matters concerning the power sector.
AIPEF has become a force to reckon with and neither Government of India nor State Governments can ignore. Now AIPEF is facing another challenge in the states to save privatization of the power sector under the pressure of the central government. In Uttar Pradesh , the state Government is trying its hands on privatisation of two Discoms whereas Maharashtra is trying to push privation through the back door of parallel licensing. The privatisation of transmission systems across states through tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) , monetization of transmission assets, and formation of joint ventures is being forced.
It is very clear that the central and state governments are bent on privatizing the power sector whether the state Discom is making profit or loss. The Government is looking at electricity as a business, not as a service to consumers. Privatization has not improved the power sector’s efficiency or affordability.
The main reason for the present day crisis is the non-professional bureaucratic approach in central as well as state governments towards the power sector. Over the years, the Centre has progressively intruded into the state’s domain, curtailing its authority. From time to time, the Central Government is making changes in the Electricity Law through Electricity (Amendment) Rules.
AIPEF will continue to play a pivotal role in raising concerns about the policies adopted by successive governments at the Centre and in the States. AIPEF has an increasingly arduous role to play in the coming years in safeguarding the integrity of the electricity industry and the interests of the consumers. AIPEF will rise to the occasion and successfully enable the power sector to tide over the present crisis.
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