Power engineers’ body resolves to oppose discoms’ privatisation

Power engineers in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday threatened to launch a decisive struggle against the proposed privatisation of the Varanasi and Agra Electricity Distribution Corporations.
In a meeting here, the UP Rajya Vidyut Parishad Abhiyanta Sangh central executive committee unanimously passed a resolution deciding to oppose the privatisation move, terming it a direct violation of previous agreements and an attack on the livelihoods of thousands of employees and engineers.
The association claimed that the privatisation plan threatens the jobs of 27,600 employees, including 1,523 assistant engineers.
“It will result in the demotion of hundreds of senior engineers as positions of seven chief engineers (Level-1), 33 chief engineers (Level-2), 144 superintending engineers, and 507 executive engineers are slated to be eliminated,” said association general secretary Jitendra Singh Gurjar.
Citing Section 133(2) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which prohibits any reduction in service conditions through transfer schemes, the association asserted that the privatisation proposal violated legal provisions.
The association also alleged that the power corporation management was misleading the public by citing financial losses to justify privatisation, while ignoring the engineers’ consistent cooperation in improving operations.
The association further emphasised that previous written agreements with the government explicitly ruled out privatisation without taking employees and engineers into confidence.
“The April 5, 2018, and October 6, 2020, agreements clearly state that reforms in power distribution will be carried out within the existing structure, and privatisation will not proceed without the consent of employees and engineers. The current move disregards these agreements and disrespects the commitments made by the government,” Gurjar said.
The meeting, attended by representatives from various districts and projects including Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Meerut, and Kanpur, called for a state-wide movement in collaboration with the Joint Struggle Committee of Electricity Employees. The association has urged all engineers to prepare for decisive action against the privatisation of power discoms, vowing to use all democratic means to oppose the move.
The association warned that privatisation would not only jeopardise the livelihoods of thousands but also undermine the quality of power distribution in the state, potentially leading to higher costs for consumers. It reiterated its commitment to protecting the interests of both employees and the public.