Saurabh Mukherjee
On the call of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), widespread demonstrations were held across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (February 27) against the state government's move to privatise electricity distribution.
CPI(M) workers gathered at district headquarters, DM offices, district executive engineer offices, and block headquarters to voice their opposition, submitting a memorandum to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Protests took place in major cities, including Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Ghazipur, Etah, Mau, Ballia, Deoria, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Jaunpur, Mathura, Agra, Farrukhabad, Rae Bareli, Etawah, and Kasganj.
Demonstrators raised slogans against the government's decision, accusing it of increasing the burden on the public by raising electricity tariffs.
At various protest sites, speakers strongly condemned the proposed implementation of smart meters, demanding an immediate rollback.
They alleged that the power corporation management was working in collusion with private firms and misleading the government on financial matters. Protesters warned that privatisation could lead to a threefold rise in electricity prices for consumers.
Opposition to power sector privatisation is rooted in past experiences. In April 2010, Agra’s electricity distribution was handed over to Torrent Power under a privatisation agreement.
As per the deal, the Power Corporation supplied electricity to the private company at Rs 4.36 per unit, even though the procurement cost stood at Rs 5.55 per unit. Over 14 years, this arrangement has reportedly resulted in losses amounting to Rs 2,434 crore, according to data released by Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti (VKSSS), a body representing the protesting employees.
The state government, however, justifies privatisation on the grounds of financial losses, claiming that two of the state’s five power distribution companies (DISCOMs) have accumulated debts of Rs 1.1 lakh crore.
However, protesters argue that these figures have been manipulated by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) to push for privatisation.
While outright privatisation has sparked concerns over potential job losses, opposition has also been mounting against the government's proposal for a 50-50 public-private partnership model.
Adding to the controversy, critics have raised serious concerns about the pre-bidding process for privatising power distribution in Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal.
They alleged that while the official pre-bid meeting was scheduled for January 23 at Shakti Bhawan in Lucknow, it was instead held discreetly at the SLDC guest house, raising questions about transparency.
According to them, three consulting firms—PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and Grant Thornton—attended the meeting. Protesters have alleged a conflict of interest, as these firms are already associated with the power corporation, casting doubts over the fairness of the privatisation process.
CPI(M) workers gathered at district headquarters, DM offices, district executive engineer offices, and block headquarters to voice their opposition, submitting a memorandum to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Protests took place in major cities, including Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Ghazipur, Etah, Mau, Ballia, Deoria, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Jaunpur, Mathura, Agra, Farrukhabad, Rae Bareli, Etawah, and Kasganj.
Demonstrators raised slogans against the government's decision, accusing it of increasing the burden on the public by raising electricity tariffs.
At various protest sites, speakers strongly condemned the proposed implementation of smart meters, demanding an immediate rollback.
They alleged that the power corporation management was working in collusion with private firms and misleading the government on financial matters. Protesters warned that privatisation could lead to a threefold rise in electricity prices for consumers.
Opposition to power sector privatisation is rooted in past experiences. In April 2010, Agra’s electricity distribution was handed over to Torrent Power under a privatisation agreement.
As per the deal, the Power Corporation supplied electricity to the private company at Rs 4.36 per unit, even though the procurement cost stood at Rs 5.55 per unit. Over 14 years, this arrangement has reportedly resulted in losses amounting to Rs 2,434 crore, according to data released by Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti (VKSSS), a body representing the protesting employees.
The state government, however, justifies privatisation on the grounds of financial losses, claiming that two of the state’s five power distribution companies (DISCOMs) have accumulated debts of Rs 1.1 lakh crore.
However, protesters argue that these figures have been manipulated by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) to push for privatisation.
While outright privatisation has sparked concerns over potential job losses, opposition has also been mounting against the government's proposal for a 50-50 public-private partnership model.
Adding to the controversy, critics have raised serious concerns about the pre-bidding process for privatising power distribution in Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal.
They alleged that while the official pre-bid meeting was scheduled for January 23 at Shakti Bhawan in Lucknow, it was instead held discreetly at the SLDC guest house, raising questions about transparency.
According to them, three consulting firms—PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and Grant Thornton—attended the meeting. Protesters have alleged a conflict of interest, as these firms are already associated with the power corporation, casting doubts over the fairness of the privatisation process.
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