Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
Electricity workers, contract workers and engineers participated in large numbers in electricity panchayats held in Gorakhpur on 27 December and Jhansi on 29 December under the banner of Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, UP.
The Sangharsh Samiti said that government electricity distribution corporations incur losses and provide electricity to domestic consumers at prices lower than the cost. Private companies work for profit. After privatization, electricity rates increase significantly. It said that the electricity rates for domestic consumers in Mumbai are Rs 17.71 per unit, whereas the maximum rates for domestic consumers in the government sector in UP are Rs 06.50 per unit. It is clear that as soon as privatization happens, electricity rates will increase three times in one go.
He said that in the draft of privatization prepared by the Power Corporation, there is a proposal to give all the land of the entire distribution corporation to a private company on lease of just Rs 1 per year. Similarly, there is a conspiracy to hand over assets worth lakhs of crores of rupees to private houses at throwaway prices without evaluation.
