Electricity Amendment Bill 2020: Shailendra Dubey, the chairman of All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), stated that the privatization of the discoms was only for UTs, Varanasi, and three discoms in Odisha.
He further stated that they would observe a protest today, 18th August, to seek the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020. With the rally, they oppose the privatization of electricity distribution in UTs, Varanasi, and Odisha’s three discoms.
The employees are seeking to cancel the privatization of CESU. It is already handed over by the officials to the Tata Power in Odisha. He also said that over 15 lakh power sector employees would hold the protest meetings and demonstrations across India to fronting the privatization. The discussion was made on the call of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE).
Power Sector Employees Holding Resentment Against the Officials Regarding the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020
Union power minister R K Singh had placed a commitment to put a modified draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020. He committed during a conference “After strong protests by eleven states and two UTs during the power ministers” held on 3rd July. However, India’s government has not placed any new amended draft on public domains even after 45 days (1).
The government is also going forward with its plan of privatization of the discoms of UTs. The union territory includes regions such as Chandigarh, Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. At the same time, the UP government has also started its process of privatizing Varanasi discom.
The Odisha government has already given its Central Electricity Supply Undertaking (CESU) to Tata Power. It has also initiated the process to privatize three of its other discoms. It includes NESCO, WESCO, and SOUTHCO. These moves have created resentment among the employees of the power sector.
The AIPEF said that the privatization and urban distribution franchisee models are a failure. He claimed that these models have miserably failed in regions like Odisha, Nagpur, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Greater Noida, Agra, Gwalior, Ujjain, Sagar, and many other places. He further added that the government is imposing the same models on the states. They are doing so in the name of financial aid, but it is nothing but blackmail.
Dubey also said that the move is not acceptable, and the power sector employees and engineers are opposing the move. He further added that the 18th August demonstration would be a peaceful protest. However, if the center and center do not withdraw the privatization process, regarding the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020, the power sector employee across the country would be forced to resort to democratic agitation steps.
