Power engineers of Punjab and Haryana extend support to UP power engineers and employees protesting against privatisation of two Discoms

Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent

PSEB Engineers’ Association has expressed the unequivocal support of all power engineers of Punjab for the ongoing agitation against privatisation of two distributions companies (Discom), led by the power engineers and employees of Uttar Pradesh under the banner of Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti.

The Association has urged the Government of Uttar Pradesh to urgently review and reverse its decision to privatise the power sector in the best interest of the state’s power sector and its citizens.

The state government has taken a unilateral decision to privatise the power sector without engaging in meaningful discussions with the engineers and employees’ unions. This decision has overlooked the past failures of private players, particularly the example of Agra, which should have been a cautionary lesson.

It may be mentioned that in Uttar Pradesh, privatization of two big electricity distribution corporations, has been announced. Due to The privatization of the two Discoms, Varanasi and Agra will put jobs of more than 70, 000 regular and outsourced employees in danger. Once the privatization of two Discoms has been carried out, the privatisation of the rest of the distribution sector will follow.

Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti blamed managerial inefficiencies and said, “If the same workforce can drive improvements post-privatisation, why not make the changes within the existing structure.”