PSPCL and PSTCL engineers under the banner of  PSEB Engineers’ Association  held  protest meetings in different parts  of  the state including Patiala and thermal plants  against the Electricity (Amendment ) Bill 2018.

The meeting at Patiala was addressed by  Sanjeev  Sood, President,  Devinder Goyal, General Secretary,  Harjinder Singh Bansal, Sr. Vice President and Padamjit Singh Patron of the Association.

The members expressed their strong opposition to the unilateral amendment in Electricity Act 2003 wherein  the central government  has proposed division of carriage and content which will put the power utilities in backward mode. Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2018 further  divides the unbundled electricity industry.

Padamjit Singh said that the electricity is a concurrent subject and central government is trying to control the complete power sector of the states. This is against the provisions of the constitution. The house resolved that Punjab Government  should take up this issue with the central government  as electricity is a concurrent subject and the proposed amendments are against the basis nature of the federal structure of the country.

Padamjit  further said that the Electricity (Amendment ) bill is a way to push privitisation in power distribution through backdoor. The experiment of multiple licencees in a area has already failed and the power supply cost has increased.

 The members also condemned the proposed amendment regarding interference of central government in the matter of tariff policy which makes it mandatory for states to follow tariff policy.

The house also opposed the implementation of new pension scheme and resolved that old pension scheme be implemented for all  employees.

It was also resolved that the anomaly of two types of pay scales of assistant engineers in PSPCL should be cleared and single starting scale of Rs. 18030/- should be granted to all the assistant engineers as the same has already been granted to all other categories.