Powercom employees rock Punjab with record-breaking protest at Patiala against government policies

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ February 4,2026

State level biggest protest rally of employees, engineers and pensioners under the banner of Joint Action Committee was held today in front of PSPCL Head Office, demanding to stop selling properties of Power Department, oppose Electricity bill 2025 and installation of 2 thermal units of 800MW in Ropar, said Ajaypal Singh Atwal general secretary of PSEB Engineers Association.

The gathering of employees , engineers , pensioners in thousands as employees from across the states joined to save the state power sector. The Punjab power sector is passing through a rough phase with unprecedented political interference eroding its independence. The employees and engineers are on war path for the last so many months against state government policies

PSJAC Leaders who addressed the Dharna from different Unions/Associations including Ajaypal Singh Atwal, General Secretary of the Engineers’ Association cum Secretary Joint Action Committee, JEs Council ,Bijli Mufazam Sangrashshil Morcha and dozens of other leaders.

The Joint Action Committee leaders said that the Punjab government is unilaterally planning to sell the valuable lands/assets of Powercom located in different cities on the pretext of a special government scheme (OUVGL), which is detrimental to the interest of the State Power Sector. Whereas, these Powercom lands were often purchased or acquired unde

Padamjit Singh, Chief Patron, said that though the country’s power distribution companies have collectively reported a profit after tax deduction to the tune of Rs.2700 Crores. Further, line losses have also come down from 22.62% during 2014 to 2024-2025. Despite that the Central Government is reportedly bent upon to table anti-people Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 in the ongoing Budget Session of the parliament in a very chaotic manner, just to facilitate the corporates to take over the power distribution .

Outsourced Mulazam Union & CPF Union leadership also extended support to today’s Dharna.

The Joint Action Committee also adopted few resolutions scrapping of 4 new labour codes & withdrawal of recent comments by Hon’ble CJI against the trade unions, Adjustment of Degree/Diploma apprenticeship holders in Power utilities, Adjustment of outsourced meter readers & workers in the PSPCL/PSTCL. The Joint Action Committee has further appealed to all the trade unions of Punjab Power Sector to join the country wide strike on 12 February

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