Mumbai: Electricity workers across the country, including Maharashtra, have gone on strike for two days on March 28 and 29 from 12 pm on Sunday amid speculations of privatization of power companies. On the other hand, State Energy Minister Nitin Raut remained busy throughout the day to persuade the striking workers. He made it clear in a tweet that there is no plan to privatize government power companies in the state.
He said that I take a step forward and you also take a step forward. I am ready to talk to the employees union on Tuesday to solve their problem.
We do not know about the specialization of the company. Doing a positive discussion about the work of all the employees, Todga Kadla Jile, Ashi Gwahi, I got the work done by the employees of the organization, today we will discuss through video conferencing.@MSEDCL @connectMSPGCL pic.twitter.com/cbIEmFgbkI
— Dr. Nitin Raut (@NitinRaut_INC) March 28, 2022
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Statewide demonstrations
On Monday, apart from Palghar adjoining Mumbai, electricity workers demonstrated in many parts of the state including Nandend, Parbhani, Aurangabad. The state government had announced the imposition of the Maharashtra Essential Services Act (MESMA) for the employees to go on strike. Despite this, the workers have gone on strike. More than 25 unions with a membership of 85,000 workers of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited and Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Company Limited are participating in the strike.
demand of employees
The demand of the employees is that the privatization of government companies should be stopped. These employees are opposing the privatization plan of the Central Government’s Electricity Amendment Bill 2021.
Electricity demand has increased to 27,000 MW. At the same time, the examinations of class 10th and 12th are also going on. Along with this, it has been announced to give a concession of three months to the farmers because of the standing crop in the fields of the farmers. MSEDCL is already in financial crisis. Despite this, our government is committed to serve the citizens of the state. In such a situation, keeping in mind the interests of the people of the state, I urge all the employees to call off the strike.
-Nitin Raut, Energy Minister