Report of meeting of Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation by Com. Krishna Bhoyar, Secretary General
Office-bearers of Maharashtra’s online meeting was held on Google Meet on 25th November 2024. 98 union office-bearers were present. They gave information about the protest to be organized on November 26.
National level meeting of All India Federation of Electricity Employees was held at Jaipur (Rajasthan). In this meeting, a comprehensive discussion was held on the situation of public sector power industry across the country. The central government has started the process of privatization in government power generation, transmission and distribution companies in the country. The distribution company in the state of Odisha was handed over to Tata, a private capitalist, for 20 years. Private companies are working in distribution in cities like Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Ahmedabad etc. In many Union Territories the distribution sector has been entrusted to private capitalists.
Privatization has stopped in places where the workers and public have revolted. In Uttar Pradesh, 2,200 contract workers who were protesting against privatization have been sacked. Hundreds of permanent workers have been suspended. The Chandigarh and Haryana High Court has decided not to interfere with the central government’s strategic decision to privatize Chandigarh power department.
The process of handing over distribution companies to private capitalists is underway by installing smart prepaid meters across the country.
Lakhs of posts in government-owned power companies are lying vacant and unfilled. Contract workers are being recruited at that place and their economic and social exploitation is being done.
Even in Maharashtra, an attempt was made to give parallel power distribution license to private capitalists. However, all the trade unions in Maharashtra stopped it with the strength of unity. Franchising is still going on in Mumbra, Malegaon and Bhiwandi cities.
Since, the central government has not been able to pass the revised Electricity Act-2014 due to the opposition of the general public, farmers’ associations, chief ministers and people’s representatives of many states, as well as workers and engineers.
Based on the Electricity Act of 2003, the Center and various states are in the process of privatizing electricity companies. The All India Federation of Electricity Employees (AIFEE), an organization working in 28 states at the national level, has decided to struggle against all these.
In meeting of the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation held today, a decision was taken to demand the following by holding strong protests in front of the offices of the electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies in Maharashtra.
Key Demands:
- Stop privatization of power sector in India.
- Discontinue Smart Prepaid Meter Project.
- Announce and implement Old Pension Scheme for all electricity workers and engineers.
- Stop any enactment of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill.
- Reemploy all 2500 suspended employees of Uttar Pradesh Power Sector.
- Withdraw the suspension orders of all the suspended electrical employees of Uttar Pradesh.
- Initiate immediate action to fill all vacancies of employees and engineers.
- Regularize all contract and outsourced personnel.
Your colleague
Comrade Krishna Bhoyar
Secretary General
Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation