Electricity Privatization: The Electricity Employees’ Joint Conflict Committee on Wednesday demonstrated strongly against privatization and harassment by electricity workers across the state. Protest meetings have been held in Lucknow and other districts and projects. During this demonstration, the employees alleged that there was a big scam in the process of privatization of the electricity department. Efforts are being made to forcibly impose it. During this time, the protesting workers paid tributes on the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Amar Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad.
Target to benefit corporate houses
The Sangharsh Samiti said that privatization of Purvanchal and Dakshinchal Electricity Distribution Corporations is planned to benefit pre -determined corporate houses. While the draft Standard Bidding Document 2020 was considered as the base, the process is being carried forward by bringing the draft standard bidding document 2025. In this new draft, many provisions have been very relaxed to benefit private companies.
The RFP document prepared by the Transaction Consultant called Grant Tholon was sent to the Electricity Regulatory Commission for approval, but the Commission returned the documents, objecting to it. The Sangharsh Samiti claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has also lodged an objection to the document.
Draft Standard Bidding Document 2025 said
The Sangharsh Samiti questioned that the draft Standard Bidding Document 2025 has neither been released on the website of the Ministry of Electricity of the Government of India nor the energy corporations of the states have been circulated. Objections were not invited due to non -availability of public domains, which raises serious questions on the transparency of the entire process. The Sangharsh Samiti has demanded from the government that the entire process of privatization of Purvanchal and Dakshinchal Vidyut Vitran Division Corporations should be canceled.
On this occasion, at the meeting held at the Hydil Field Hostel in the capital Lucknow, the electricians paid homage on the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Amar Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad and pledged that public assets made from public money would not be allowed to go into private hands.
