UP power employees call off stir against privatisation of Poorvanchal Distribution Company after govt assurances

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 6 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh power employees on Tuesday called off their indefinite strike against the proposed privatisation of Poorvanchal Distribution Company after the state government assured them that it would not go ahead with the move if the situation of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) improves.
In a written agreement between the power employees and a cabinet sub-committee comprising finance minister Suresh Khanna, energy minister Shrikant Sharma, chief secretary RK Tewari and additional chief secretary, energy, Arvind Kumar, the government said it would assess the position of UPPCL till January 15.
The development came after meeting between Rajya Vidyut Karamchari Sangharsh Samiti and the government committee.
As per the agreement, the Sangharsh Samiti, an association of power employees agreed to support the UPPCL management in reforms to improve situation of the corporation.
"Today there was a meeting between the employees of Vidyut Karamchari Sangharsh Samiti and it was decided that we will together make efforts to improve the situation of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. We have stayed the proposal of privatisation of Poorvanchal Distribution Company and there was an agreement that power employees and engineers will support the UPPCL management in reforms to improve the situation," Khanna said.
"They have withdrawn the strike. I think that they will perform better and will satisfy their consumers," added Khanna.
Earlier in the day, employees in the power department protested outside Shakti Bhavan, as part of a boycott of work strike called by the UP Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti to protest against privatisation of power distribution company Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited.
Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav said that BJP government has destroyed the reforms brought about in the field of generation, transmission and distribution by Samajwadi Party.
"People and Covid-afflicted patients have been affected by the strike of workers in several districts, including Varanasi and Prayagraj, against the sale of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam. The BJP government has destroyed the reforms in the field of generation, transmission and distribution done at the time of SP," Akhilesh tweeted. (ANI)