The power engineers and employees in Uttar Pradesh and in other states will hold a day-long protest against the scheduled tabling of the long-pending and contentious Electricity (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on Monday.
In a written statement here on Sunday, the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) chairman Shailendra Dubey said it was unfortunate that the Centre was going to rush through the bill without prior discussions with the stakeholders, forcing country’s 27 lakh power personnel to resort to agitation.
“Power staff in the country, including UP, will stop work to hold protest demonstrations throughout the day on Monday when the Bill is scheduled to be tabled in the Parliament,” he said.
“We again urge the Prime Minister to intervene into the matter and ensure that the Bill is not passed in haste without knowing the views of stakeholders, including consumers as well as state governments,” he added.
Dubey claimed that the Bill, if passed, would have far-reaching regressive effects on the electricity employees and electricity consumers and farmers.
“According to the bill, subsidies and cross subsidies will be abolished so that the full cost of electricity can be recovered from all categories of consumers. If a pumping set of 7.5 horse power is run for only 06 hours, farmers will have to pay a bill of ₹10000 to 12000 per month,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Dalit power engineers under the banner of UP Power Officers Association on Sunday staged a demonstration protesting against the proposed Bill. Association working president Avadhesh Kumar Verma said the new law sought to privatise electricity and 8 lakh Dalit engineers in UP would oppose the same. “All our engineers will abstain themselves from work on Monday in protest,” he said.
Key provisions of the Bill
*The Bill seeks to give the right to consumers to choose their power supplier much like in the telecom sector by issuing multiple distribution licences in the same area.
*It facilitates the use of the same distribution network (like one owned by the UPPCL in UP) by all the distribution companies in the area under the provision of non-discriminatory open access to promote competition. Companies will pay wheeling charges to the network owner.
*The Bill also aims to strengthen regulatory mechanism and increase the share of renewable energy in the total electricity portfolio.
Picture caption: UP Power Officers Association members shouting slogans against Electricity (Amendment) Bill here on Sunday