U.P. power workers to protest privatisation with black armbands on NY

While expressing trust in chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the UP Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, comprising leaders Shailendra Dubey, Jitendra Singh Gurjar, and Mahendra Rai, accused the power corporation’s top management of fuelling industrial unrest and attempting to transfer public assets to private entities at throwaway prices.

Electricity employees in Uttar Pradesh have announced a state-wide protest against the proposed privatisation of power distribution corporations (DISCOMs), vowing to wear black armbands during work on January 1, marking the first day of the New Year as Black Day. The decision was declared during a ‘Bijli Panchayat’ held in Jhansi on Sunday.

The committee warned that privatisation would lead to a threefold increase in electricity tariffs. (Sourced)

While expressing trust in chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the UP Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, comprising leaders Shailendra Dubey, Jitendra Singh Gurjar, and Mahendra Rai, accused the power corporation’s top management of fueling industrial unrest and attempting to transfer public assets to private entities at throwaway prices.

The committee warned that privatisation would lead to a threefold increase in electricity tariffs. They cited Mumbai as an example, where domestic electricity costs ₹17.71 per unit compared to ₹6.50 in U.P.

Additionally, the committee alleged that the privatisation draft includes leasing land owned by distribution corporations to private entities for just ₹1 annually, along with transferring assets worth billions without appropriate valuation. They expressed hope that the CM would not approve such measures.

The next ‘Bijli Panchayat’ is scheduled to take place in Prayagraj on January 5 next year.