Power Employees in UP Staged a Massive Protest, Demanding the Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme

Old Pension Scheme: Power employees in Uttar Pradesh held protests in various districts on Thursday, demanding the privatization of power companies and the restoration of the old pension scheme. In the capital, Lucknow, the Electricity Department headquarters, Shakti Bhawan, was surrounded, causing traffic jams in front of the building. Following the call of the Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, power employees, contract workers, junior engineers, and engineers from all Lucknow offices reached Shakti Bhawan. Employees registered their protest against privatization, harassment, retrenchment of contract workers, and the restoration of the old pension scheme. A large number of farmers also joined the protest, joining the workers under the banner of the Revolutionary Farmers’ Union.

Strikes and Protests in These Districts

In the Agra district, government bank and LIC employees were on strike, while power employees were working. In Amroha, power employees joined the protest in the afternoon after a symbolic strike. In Farrukhabad, employees joined the protest at the call of the Vidyut Vibhag Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti against the Electricity Bill and privatization. Electricity office employees in Bholepur also demonstrated to press their demands.

Normal work in Rampur and Sambhal

In Rampur, employees in the offices of electricity employees and other organizations functioned as usual. Ram Babu Sharma, district president of the State Employees Joint Employees Council, stated that no special program was scheduled for the day regarding the strike or the old pension scheme. Electricity employees in the Sambhal district also performed their regular work.

Main Demands of the Movement

The main objectives of the electricity employees are to stop privatization, ensure the regularization of contract workers, and restore the old pension scheme. During the demonstration, the employees made it clear that if their demands are not addressed, the movement will expand further.