July 9 “token strike” against power privatisation, UP’s ongoing plan for Discoms privatisation- AIPEF
Kanwar Inder singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ July 7,2025
Electricity sector engineers and employees are set to stage a one-day token strike, protesting against privatization policies of central and state governments particularly against ongoing privatisation of Uttar Pradesh’s power distribution companies, said Shailendra Dubey Chairman All India power Engineers Federation (AIPEF)
The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers announced nationwide strikes on July 9. The committee is also seeking central intervention to halt the privatization process in Uttar Pradesh. V K Gupta media advisor AIPEF informed that power sector employees of Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir will be participating in large numbers.
In Lucknow, Vidyut Karamchari Samyukta Sangharsh Samiti has raised questions on the privatization of electricity. The committee says that is why privatization is being done despite the line losses having been reduced from 40 % to 15.54 % .They have accused the government of benefiting the industrialists . Employees have warned of a jail bharo andolan against privatization.
The aggressive privatisation moves by the Uttar Pradesh government has targeted Purvanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd. (PVVNL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd. (DVVNL) jeopardising the jobs of 27,000 employees and engineers and .50,000 contract workers
Dubey said that Uttar Pradesh government is moving fast to pushing ahead with the privatisation of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal discoms by publicising misleading data of losses in UP Discoms. He further said that through a covert process, bypassing regulatory transparency Discoms with assets worth lakhs of crores cannot be handed over behind closed doors accusing the corporation of suppressing dissent by declaring an informal emergency.
In Maharashtra , power sector employees have announced a state wide strike on July 9 against privatisation and governments parallel electricity licensing policy which could allow Adani and Torrent Power to enter public power distribution space.
Various employees leaders have termed the so-called reforms have already proven disastrous for the national economy, energy sovereignty, and security of the country. This represents a final assault on India’s public electricity distribution sector, which could lead to massive de-electrification and threaten the nation’s food security. Moreover, these actions undermine the federal structure of India.
