• Source:JND
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Electricity workers across the country will stage a nationwide protest on Wednesday opposing the proposed privatisation of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam. The agitation is being spearheaded by the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers, which has called upon power sector employees in all states to protest at district headquarters and power project sites.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Vidyut Karamchari Samyukta Sangharsh Samiti has announced that electricity workers across the state will take to the streets. The union has warned that the day a tender for privatisation is issued, all electricity employees will begin an indefinite work boycott and launch a Jail Bharo Andolan.

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Backing the protest, Krantikari Kisan Union National President Dr Darshan Pal has appealed to farmers and agricultural labourers to join hands with the protesting electricity workers. The Union’s National General Secretary, Shashikant, reaffirmed the organisation's support, highlighting the potential impact of privatisation on rural electricity access and affordability.

Meanwhile, State Electricity Consumer Council President Awadhesh Kumar Verma has raised concerns over legal violations in the privatisation draft. He alleged that the Power Corporation management has breached Section 131(2) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which mandates that assets of power companies be evaluated based on a 25-year revenue capacity assessment — a process he claims was deliberately skipped to avoid inflating asset value.

Verma said the Consumer Council will move the Regulatory Commission once its chairman returns from leave, challenging the legality of the draft proposal. He also pointed out that Sections 131 to 134 of the Electricity Act—used previously during the unbundling of UP’s power companies—cannot be reused as per the law.

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The proposed privatisation plan aims to transfer control of electricity distribution in 42 districts of Uttar Pradesh to private entities. However, strong opposition from electricity workers, consumer councils, and allied farmer groups is rapidly intensifying.