Joint Statement of Maharashtra State Electricity Employees, Engineers, and Officers Action Committee
(Translation of statement in Marathi)
Maharashtra Rajya Vidyut Karmchari, Abhiyante, Adhikari Kruti Samiti
(Maharashtra State Electricity Employees, Engineers, and Officers Action Committee)
Date: 26.06.2025 Nagpur
Announcement of Privatization Policy of Maharashtra’s Electricity Companies under Parallel Power License
The commission has accepted applications to allocate 16 divisions to Torrent Power Company and 8 divisions to Adani. For the existence of all three electricity companies and the future of their employees, engineers, and officers—preparations are underway for a statewide strike on 9th July 2025. In support of the movement in Uttar Pradesh and in preparation for the strike on 9th July, demonstrations and meetings will be held across the state on 2nd July. This is called by the Action Committee.
Workers, engineers, and officer comrades,
The Maharashtra government and the management have made clear their policy of privatization and contracting out of the three electricity companies, including handing over 329 substations and projects worth over Rs. 200 crore in the transmission company to private contractors. Under the parallel power license policy, Adani Power and Torrent Power companies have submitted applications to the Maharashtra State Regulatory Commission to take control of a total of 24 divisions of the Mahavitaran company, including electricity distribution, revenue, operation, and management. The commission has accepted these applications and announced a hearing on 22nd July 2025 to transfer these divisions to private companies. This hearing is just a formality; everything has already been decided.
To secure the commission’s approval, Torrent Power Company has applied to take control of electricity distribution, operation, maintenance, repair, and revenue collection for 16 cities: Nagpur, Pune, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Baramati, Indapur, Daund, Saswad, Ranjangaon, Chakan, Kurkumbh, Vasai, Virar, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, and Thane municipal areas.
Similarly, Adani Power Company has applied to take control of the Mulund, Bhandup, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Kharghar, Talola, and Uran divisions. Although the hearing scheduled for 22nd July appears to be a mere formality to the public, the commission’s approval is almost certain as usual.
Even Mahavitaran itself has accepted the parallel power license policy and applied to the commission for a parallel power license for Mumbai city and the Bhayandar municipal area.
The central and state governments have conspired to hand over the country’s energy sector to corporate houses and private capitalists. Against this privatization, workers, engineers, and officers’ organizations across the country have called a nationwide one-day strike on 9th July 2025.
Opposing the privatization policies of the central and state governments, all employee organizations, diploma-holding engineers’ organizations in Uttar Pradesh, including the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Power Engineers Federation, and contract and outsourced workers’ unions, have been fighting for 219 days against the privatization of the electricity industry. To salute this revolutionary movement, our Maharashtra Action Committee calls upon everyone to participate in the strike on 9th July. The strike on 9th July is a fight for the survival of our companies, workers, employees, engineers, officers, and their families. The Action Committee urges all employees to participate with full strength.
Not only in the electricity sector but also in all public sectors across the country, such as banks, LIC, GIC, coal, steel, oil, central and state government employees, posts and telegraphs, and other industries, organizations are going on strike against privatization on 9th July 2025. Notices have been issued accordingly.
Our Action Committee has served notice for a strike on 9th July on the Maharashtra government and management regarding the following demands of employees, engineers, officers, contract, and outsourced workers in Maharashtra.
Demands:
- We strongly oppose the increasing contracting and privatization in all three electricity companies by various means, and we do not accept the government and management’s policy in this regard.
- Cancel the tenders issued to hand over operation of 329 Mahavitaran substations to private contractors and operate them through official channels. The contracting and privatization occurring through this process, which never happened in the past 60 years, is unacceptable to us. The organizations in the Action Committee are prepared to escalate the agitation to the final stage.
- Announce a time-bound program to fill all vacant posts in the three companies. While filling vacancies, reserve the backlog for backward classes from categories one to four.
- We oppose decisions being made unilaterally without discussing strategic issues related to distribution, transmission, and power generation companies with the employees, engineers, officers, and stakeholders involved.
- Regarding the Mahavitaran company’s restructuring proposal, all organizations in our Action Committee have submitted unanimous suggestions and corrections by letter dated 09.03.2025. Since restructuring is not a frequent occurrence, it is necessary to amend the management’s proposal. Before implementing restructuring, a meeting should be held with the Action Committee to present the revised proposal, and only then should a decision be made. The Action Committee’s stance is that no hasty implementation should take place.
- Strong opposition to awarding projects worth over Rs. 200 crore in the Mahapareshan (transmission) company through the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) method: The Action Committee firmly opposes the EPC method in project execution by Mahapareshan. This method goes against public ownership and interest and negatively affects the financial and technical capabilities of institutions like Mahapareshan. Therefore, the Action Committee demands an immediate halt to the EPC policy and an increase in the current threshold limit, allowing Mahapareshan to execute more projects independently.
- Regarding the formation of the Anomaly Committee: After the 2019 wage increase agreement, a committee was appointed under the chairmanship of the Director (Personnel) of Mahavitaran to address pending issues related to mechanics, technicians, accounts, personnel, and engineers. After labor organizations presented the facts, the committee made unilateral decisions without discussion. Discussions on these decisions are necessary.
- The Anomaly Committee, which was to be formed to address issues other than the 2023 wage increase and allowances, has not yet been constituted. During the wage increase talks, the Honorable Upper Chief Energy Secretary agreed to form this committee for unresolved issues, but it has not yet been established. There is also confusion about whom to approach regarding these issues.
- Regarding pension approval for electricity employees, engineers, and officers: The Maharashtra government’s cabinet sub-committee has approved a scheme to provide 40% of the basic salary as pension on retirement, along with the applicable Maharashtra allowance, on a self-financed basis to all employees, engineers, and officers in electricity companies. The Honorable Energy Secretary has submitted an affidavit in the Mumbai High Court affirming the government’s acceptance of the pension demand. The Honorable Governor of Maharashtra has also issued an ordinance to this effect. Following the suggestion of the Honorable Principal Energy Secretary, a detailed proposal on pension discussions with the Honorable Chief Minister has been presented to all concerned. The Action Committee requests a final resolution on the pension issue based on this.
- Relatedly, a decision should be made to regularize 43,000 contract workers in the three electricity companies as permanent workers with appropriate pay scales and status. Considering the difficulties faced by these 43,000 contract employees in being regularized in one go, organizations have submitted a detailed proposal to include them in suitable pay scales. This must be implemented. These workers have devoted 10-15-20 years of their lives to the electricity industry and deserve this justice, insists the Action Committee.
- Appointment of security guards at substations in Marathwada and Maharashtra: The importance of substations in electricity distribution and their sensitive relationship with consumers is well understood by management. Since security is a critical issue at substations, where there is a shortage of security guards, the head office should issue instructions to fill these vacancies. This is the request.
- Regarding the tenure of electrical and other assistants: Appointing electrical assistants on contract with honorarium for up to 3 years is inhumane. While gaining experience in company work is justified, expecting them to gain experience for three years is unacceptable. These assistants first receive education and experience in ITI for 2 years, followed by 3 years of exploitation, totaling 5 years, which is unacceptable. The same policy should apply to all other assistants, who should be made permanent after 1 year of experience. Those who have completed 3 years should have their service regularized under the relevant orders.
- Along with the Mahapareshan company’s staff setup, an Anomaly Committee was formed. However, no meetings have been held yet with the full membership and organizations. Therefore, issues under the Anomaly Committee remain unresolved. An urgent meeting of all committee members and representatives of organizations should be convened to resolve pending matters.
- The distribution wing of Mahavitaran is being sought by private capitalists. The Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued a notification regarding this. The Action Committee strongly opposes granting distribution licenses to private capitalists in the energy sector. Organizations also demand that Mahavitaran should not seek distribution licenses in Mumbai.
To ensure the success of the strike, all office bearers of the Action Committee should immediately organize joint transportation arrangements in their departments for a combined publicity campaign, ensuring all employees participate in the strike. There are only 11 days left; during this time, energize every department with proper distribution and display of posters and leaflets.
Central office bearers of the Action Committee—Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation (AITUC), Subordinate Engineers Association, Tantrik Kamgar Union, Maharashtra Rajya Vij Kamgar Congress (INTUC), Magasvargiya Sangathan, and Maharashtra Rajya Swabhimani Vidyut Workers Union—will conduct a joint publicity tour across Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Rajya Magasvargiya Vidyut Karmachari Sangathan and Johiruddin’s Maharashtra Rajya Tantrik Kamgar Sangathan will participate in the strike on 9 July. Operator’s union has given an independent notice of strike on 9 July.
The Action Committee calls on workers, engineers, officers, and contract workers to recognize the serious crisis of privatisation and join the strike. Maharashtra’s backward castes organization is affiliated to a national union that has also given a call to join the strike.
