ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA

8TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE

18-20 AUGUST, 2017

COM. HABIBULLA NAGAR & COM. MURARI BOSE MANCH

HYDERABAD, TELENGANA

DRAFT REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY

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 Dear Comrades of Presidium,
Delegates, Fraternal Delegates & Observers,

8 th National Conference of EEFI welcomes you all and recalls the loving memo
ries of our beloved comrades & Friends, who passed away since 7th EEFI
Conference in August, 2013 at Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu. Let us pay re-spectful
homage to the martyrs, who rendered their lives for the emancipation of mankind
from the gallows of capitalist exploitation around the globe. Electricity is the most
convenient and user friendly form of energy is most essential service for human
society. Let us recall the immense contribution of our colleagues, who ren-dered their
lives to ensure ceaseless flow of electrons through conductors in the longitudinal and
latitudinal span of the world from fields to factories and huts to condominiums. 8th
EEFI Conference is taking place at a juncture when ugly face of RSS and their allies
are attacking social fabric of long cherished National unity and integrity among rich
Indian heritage of conglomeration of religion, caste, creed, cul-ture and language.
Hence, Agenda and Topics to be discussed and tasks to be outlined by this
conference should not remain confined within day to day give and take of electricity
workers. We are to vow in this conference to keep our country a
nation with past fame of Unity in Diversity.
1. As per EEFI Constitution, The General Conference of EEFI shall be held once
in every two years. It was amended in 6th Conference in 2009 to the effect, the
Gen-eral Conference will be held in once in every 3 years. But four years have
been elapsed through vibrant activities. 8th Conference should consider and
approve the delay caused.
International Situation
2.1 Global economy is in worst possible crisis. In practice, growth is stagnant for four
years last. This is nothing but direct consequence of regime of liberalization,
privatization and globalization since fall of soviet socialist Russia. Globalization is
nothing but sequential Plan of capitalist-imperialist duo to fulfill the total object of
Global Finance capital to expand its grip over the economy of the world. Rosy pic-
tures drawn on the impact of globalization by the pro-capitalist economists and mar-
ket driven media has been withered away. Toiling people all over the world is fo-
menting against the adverse caused in the lives of workers and employees. Capi-
talist governments of the developing countries are adopting various measures of
austerity by reducing social sector cost of the government. Industries are using
Robots to replace Manpower leading to escalation of unemployment. Victims are
economically backward people. Terminologies like Downsizing, outsourcing,
contractorization, casualisation has been introduced to gag the scopes of employ-
ment. Workers all over the world are being thrown out of employment. Whatever
capitalist Governments are talking is nothing but hoax. Minimum level of economic
knowledge leads us to believe that no economy can improve if the purchasing power

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of the people is pushed to lower extent. All these measures are widening gaps
between economically upper and lower strata of the people of all these countries.
2.2 We shall be able to understand the situation by going through the
Presidential Speech of 15th Conference of CITU, what raeds. ―The 80 wealthiest
people in the world, all together own $1.9 trillion, nearly the same amount shared
by 3.5 billion (350 crores) people who occupy the bottom half of the world‘s
income scale. This was the situation in 2015 and in the previous year (2014) it
took 85 billionnaries to equal that figure. This clearly shows how the wealth is
getting concentrated in few hands.
The richest 1 per cent of population controls nearly half of the world‘s total
wealth, a share that is also increasing. In almost all countries, the mean wealth of
the wealthi-est 10 per cent of the population is more than 10 times of the median
wealth; for the top one percent, it exceeds 100 times the median wealth in many
countries; in the most unequal nations, it can approach 1000 times the median.
2.3 It will be of interest to us that there are many studies now, including that of
ILO, that the increase in income disparities are linked to the declining trade union
mem-bership and bargaining capacity.
Another interesting feature is the increasing power of multinational corporations
(MNCs). It has reached a level ‗never before seen in human history‘, says a
study. It further says: ―Today, of the 100 wealthiest economic entities in the
world, 69 are corporations and only 31 countries. This is up from 63 to 37 a year
ago. At this rate, within a generation we will be living in a world entirely
dominated by giant corpora-tions‖. The Report further states that MNCs like
Shell, Apple, and Walmart earn more revenue than the world's 180 'poorest'
countries, a list that includes Ireland, Greece, Israel, South Africa and Vietnam.‖
Inequality is widening. A report published by Oxfam on inequalities titled ―An
Economy for the 99 Percent‖ referred to the facts 8 men, 6 of them from USA, today
own 50% of the world‘s wealth, i.e. the same wealth as 362 crore people who
constitute the poorest half of humanity of the world. It further mentioned that between
1988 & 2011 the incomes of poorest 10% increase by just $65 per percent while the
in-comes of the richest 1% increase by $11800 per percent i.e. 182 times as much.
Condition of working class all over the world in the era of globalisation has been
rightly analysed by ILO, the tripartite UN body - that Globalisation has immensely
impacted towards degradation of role of the state in domestic arena as well over-
turning value chain of dignity of labour, ecology, social security and public
interest due to overridden market force. Capitalist voice preached globally by the
pseudo expert economists and their mouthpiece media that dominance of market
will ease the crisis has been proven to be a hoax.
World scenario, in the era of globalisation can be reflected in brief:

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Across the world, 2.5 billion people do not have access to sanitation facilities.
1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity.
780 million people do not have access to clean drinking water.
3.5 million children die of hunger every year.
Around 800 million people are suffering from mal nutrition.
Unemployment, poverty, inequality has pushed down the purchasing capacity of
people by large and priority of finance capital over employment generating and
manufacturing sector has melt down the global economy to worst possible
extent. Those who tried to explain the phenomenon as a short term one are
experiencing the same over a decade. Barack Obama commented that the rising
inequality is ―the defining challenge of our time‖.
2.4 Donald Trump, a multi-billionaire merchant elected as US President. All esti-
mates and electoral survey were found wrong. Since assumption of his office in the
most economically powerful country, his acts and deeds are leading to nightmare of
the common people of the world, who think a bit for the world peace and humanity.
His immigration policy on caste and religion has raised severe criticism in and out of
USA. Asia-Pacific Region has become the focal point of US military force. They are
trying to intervene into disputes in the region to combat China.
China is minutely looking over the changes in global economy and declared that a
new world order is visible while economy of US and European Union is in the verge
of collapse. The new world order is ushering with key in the grip of Russia and China.
The development planning of China covering the entire South-Asian Region with One
Road One Belt is attracting the attention of imperialist world. Employment situation all
over the world is grim. But China is moving on the reverse track. Over 1 crore 31 lakh
new urban jobs have been created in 2016; urban unemployment has come down to
4%, the lowest in many years; per capita disposable income has increased;
inequalities have been steadily, though slowly declining since 2010.
Unipolarity of the world is being shaken by the economic co-operation forums like
BRICKS and closer ties among the progressive and democratic forces of Latin
America.
2.5 Earlier tricks of the imperial hegemony to shark off the crisis to 3RD world coun-
tries did not work now. European Union is seeking various respites from the crisis.
Crisis of Greece could not be averted by so called austerity of cutting workers wage
and hard earned rights and benefits. Cutting pension and wage has become rule of
the European Union. UK poll for Brexit with marginal majority has been converted as
bone in the neck of Theresa May Government. She has lost her popularity within a
span of one year. Labour Party with their campaign with more funding for social
sector expenses and employment creation is breathing on the shoulder of Theresa
May Government. Jeremy Corbin the Labour Party contestant in UK election, who

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was nowhere in the contest at initial stage of election campaign assured the refu-
gees in UK with the words, who are serving for the social development in hospitals
schools and universities are not sure whether they will be continuing to live in UK. He
assured them that they are part of our society, part of the universe, they will live in
UK. His three slogans caught by a huge numbers of voters, especially younger
voters. Acceptability of these slogans radically changed the election scenario. Most
popular one was – ―For the many not the few‖. The Election Manifesto of Labour
Party at the behest of Corbin assured pension, health service for the senior citizens,
new national level minimum wage, health railways, mail & electricity supply service
under Government to cope with inflation. Younger voters between 18 & 24 voted in
huge number. This vote became highest ever poll in the history of UK. Theresa May
could retain her seat as Prime Minister with the support of 10 MPs from Ireland.

2.6 Entire Europe is experiencing the pressure of refugees. Huge numbers of people
of various age groups are entering into European countries from Iraq, Syria, Yemen,
Libya, Afghanistan being victim of attacks by US and NATO Forces. A good number
of people including children, women and old are facing grave in the deep sea while
trying to cross the sea in country boats. They were compelled to leave their native
places under ever most offensive crime from economic, caste, and religious blocks at
the instances of capitalist-imperialist duo in disguise. Refugee problem has pen-
etrated in depth in the whole social fabric of Europe. German Government agreed to
accommodate one million refugee others are trying to be not only reluctant rather
indulging into racial and religious hatred. Besides Europe, all the continents of our
Globe are also facing refugee problem. Victims are from the countries, where
economy has not been developed or crippled due to LPG. Quarrels among the
people on caste and community are the aftermath of unemployment, poverty and
hunger. Our Prime Minister has abandoned the policy of peace and non-alignment.
He is visiting countries He has become a Frequent Flyer to USA, the king pin of
global war mongers and imperialism. Lastly he visited Israel, the country created by
imperialism driving people of Palestine from their home land.

National Scenario
3.1 Our 7th Conference took place in August 2013. The regime of UPA-II Govern-
ment Headed by Dr. Manmohon Singh was closing in the course of time. Day by day,
the anger of people was being reflected through various movements. It will not be out
of place that major span of UPA-I Government passed through support of the Left
political parties led by CPI(M). Due to political compulsion the Government could not
implement its hidden agenda of serving capitalists and feudal lords on priority against
the interest of working class and peasantry. We may recall that UPA-I Government
was compelled to modify some of the vital clauses of Electricity Act, 2003. A good
number of pro people schemes like MNREGA, Gram Sadak Yojona, Indira Awas
yojona was being tapered off. Allocated money for these projects

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remained unspent. As result Agro Economic crisis began to crop up. Number of
Farmers‘ suicides and poverty level deterioration became epidemic. Price hike
touched sky level. Food crops in FCI warehouses were being perished. But Gov-
ernment decided not to use those for public distribution to protect the interest of
the traders, friendly to Government, who stockpiled huge quantum of food grains
ex-ploiting poverty of farmers. Unemployment situation began to decline to all
time worst level at both rural & urban India. Growth of unemployment rate was
more for the educated young people than the illiterate and school drop outs. All
these situa-tions added fuel to fomentation of grievances of people. Reform
policy pursued by the Government created adverse situation in the economy.
Private biased FDI policy affected total economy. Outcome of two decades of
Neo liberal policy forced the Government to pursue deregulation and
liberalization of financial sector through pro FDI and speculative practice in
banking and financial institutions. Wide gap in balance of payment and Current
Account deficit led the economy in deep crisis. During the regime of UPA-I
Government average annual GDP growth was 8.5% which fell to the tune of 5%.
3.2 Congress led UPA–II government was isolated from the people due to enor-mous
corruption, extensive monetary scam, severe price hike, gradually growing
unemployment and utter exploitation of the poorest section of peasants and work-ers
followed by neo-liberal economy. Narendra Modi capitalised such isolation, people‘s
anger and people unrest in 2014 Parliamentary election campaign against Congress.
He raised the slogan of ‗good days‘, strong & corruption free administra-tion to
delude and to influence the countrymen and the youths. He was also able to
efficiently utilise corporate lobby and corporate led media to expend thousands of
crores of money and to carry on countrywide campaign for winning the election battle
successfully. The left forces and the left mass organisations organised nu-merous
movements & struggles countrywide for redressal of the sufferings of the people but
those were reflected to either a very little extent or zero in election result. The left
forces could not reflect the effect of anti people policies of Bajpayee gov-ernment in
the memory of the people so that people can understand the economic policy of BJP
is not different from that of congress.
Modi government has extended India‘s full support to the policy of increasing pre-
dominance of USA in Asia Pacific region so that USA imperialism may accept India
as their younger partner. This government has extended the logistic support pact
with USA. This pact has given approval to USA army to collect war accessories, to
provide oils in military aeroplanes and in associated works. Narendra Modi is the first
prime minister of the country, who remained absent in the summit of the chiefs of non
allied states held in Venejuala and this is only to achieve subordinate friend-ship of
USA and by this way India has relinquished non allianment policy which the country
followed since long time past and by this way we are surrendering our freedom and
sovereignty. BJP government has accepted Paris pact relating to

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weather change without discussion and approval of Indian parliament. This is
also another example of surrender to USA. Modi has not strongly protested in
question of denial of ‗Paris Pact‘ by Donald Trumph. Modi in his very recent tour
to USA has said nothing about VISA policy of Donald Trumph by way of which
thousands of IT workers will loss jobs.
Investment of USA in defence industry is increasing. It is India which is the
biggest country in the world to import military weapons. We do not know for what
purpose such import is necessary.
3.3 Modi & corporate media‘s election promise for ‗good day would come‘ has been
proved as a great bluff. Due to gradual increase of price of daily essential commodi-
ties, rise, bread & dal are almost out of reach of the poorer sections. Even the price
hike of fuel, electricity, fertiliser & life saving drugs, Railway Tariff (Goods & passen-
ger fare) are continued. Fixation of prices of Petrol, Diesel & Gas are controlled at
market and consequent of this leaving some expectations generally price hike of
such essential commodities are continued though this government has not extended
the benefits of decreasing prices of crude oil in the international market to our coun-
trymen. They have also withdrawn the subsidy on Kerosine oil for the poor. The
crores of people are now out of the provision of ‗Food security‘ in the name of digital
ration card and thus they have been deceived to get rice/wheat @ Rs.2/- per K.G.
Sugar also has been taken out of rationing. Following the policies of congress led
UPA – II Modi government is also withdrawing subsidies on food, education, health
and social welfare at more increased rate. Thousands of crores of rupees are
shouldred upon the people at increasing rate through the budget of the year 2015-16,
2016-17 & 2017-18 by way of indirect tax. The budget allocation for social secu-rity
measures like MNREGA, Rural development, Women welfare, Minority welfare,
SC/ST welfare, Scheme projects like ICDS, ASHA, Child labour education and other
education projects are either gradually decreasing or increase is not sufficient con-
sidering the price hike of necessary commodities. By this way Modi government is
passing 9 to 10 lac crores of rupees every year by way of tax relaxation, tax exemp-
tion for the corporate houses. We know there are minimum gap between Congress
and BJP, so far economic policy is concerned. But Modi is pursuing the neo liberal
policy more aggressively than that of UPA – II.

3.4 Prices of agricultural ingredients like fertilisers, seeds, insects, electricity and
diesel are increasing regularly, resulting in increase of production cost of crops ( both
food & economic ) heavily. Modi promised at election campaign to pay the price of
crops @ 150% of the production cost to the farmers, nevertheless they are not paid
even the production cost. Modi government has stated in Hon‘ble Supreme Court by
way of an affidavit that it is impossible to pay for crops at profitable price, as
promised. Agricultural production rates are decreasing to a negative manner on the
other side incomes from agriculture are decreasing excepting for land lords & rich
peasants. Lacs of farmers are compelled to earn their livelihood as a non agri-

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culture worker/unorganised sector worker. They are being even migrants in town,
outside of the state and even country because of agriculture is not profitable. Due to
insufficiency in govt. / bank loans farmers are compelled to borrow from the money
lenders at high rate of interest. The farmers are committing suicide in thousands in
Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhatrisgarh, and even in West Bengal every year. There are differences in the
numbers of suicidal death but it is fact suicidal deaths have been increased to a great
extent in last 3 years of Modi regime. According to the lefts it is 36000 nos. in last 3
years. The farmers in large numbers in the states are demanding for remis-sion of
agricultural loans and their sufferings. The central government has refused to accept
the demand. The peasants are on the path of struggles in thousands on this demand.
The government in the states are trying to suppress the movements & struggles by
lathi, bullet, bayonet & Rifles. Six farmers at Mandsour of Madhya Pradesh have died
by the police fire. But the movements have not been stopped,on the contrary widely
spread out. It is matter of great regret the central minister Venkaiya Naidu has
laughed at the demands of remission of loan saying it as fashion, though they are
reluctant neither to disclose the names or to take steps against the corpo-rate
borrowers who have failed to repay bank loans, to the tune of rupees 11.5 lac crores.
They have not also disclosed the list of those, who have deposited money in foreign
banks instead of paying proper taxes. State governments of Maharashtra, Punjab,
Karnataka have been compelled to condone the loans to somewhat extent on the
pressure of movements.

3. 5 Unemployment and joblessness are increasing numerously. Election

promise of Modiji was to provide employment by two crores every year. But
actual employ-ment (if any sorts of earning bread be termed as employment) is
only 1.35 lac per year on an average, where 1.25 crores of youths are coming in
the employment market every year. Besides that unemployment is increased in
agriculture. The pic-ture will be more tremendous if the number of retrenched
workers due to closure or lock out of industries are taken in account. Practically
Modi has cheated the crores of youths of the country. No mercy to this mockery.
3.6 This is a common pseudo-smart vocabulary for the so called pro-capitalist econo-
mists. It has already been stated that Modi is pursuing Neo liberal economic policy,
more aggressively than that of congress led UPA government. At the very inception
of his Prime ministership Modi forgot his electoral promises and stated business of
his government will be of no business. Modi with very much promptness is trying to
execute his word. From the very first year i.e. from 2014-15 disinvestment of shares
of Maharatna, Navaratna, Miniratna & other central PSUs are continued in aggres-
sive manner than that of previous years. In last three years shares of CPSUs &
PSUs have been disinvenstmented to the tune of Rs. One lac crores. No single
rupee earned from such sell has been invested for resurgence of sick and closed
industries. Disinvestment target of 2017-18 is Rs. 72500 crores to meet the fiscal

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deficit of 3.2% of GDP through disinvestment, Strategic sale and listing of
general insurance companies and railways arms IRCTC, IRCON and IRFC.
3.7 Meanwhile ‗NITI Aayog‘ has been formed discontinuing ‗Yojana Commission‘.
None can deny the great role of ‗Yojana Commission‘. CPUs & PSUs played a
vital role for capitalistic path of economic and industrial development of the
country. In fact Bombay Plan of 1945 of India‘s big capitalists‘ club prepared the
road map for the congress party for post independent India‘s economic and
industrial develop-ment and thus to convert the country economically and
industrially developed and self reliant in all aspects.
3.8 Whether Modi is getting support from his all followers and ideological counter-
parts? Let us examine BMS view point. They, in order to extend support to Modi,
have dissociated themselves from the path of struggle of united forum of Central
Trade Unions and Federations opposing policy of Modi led NDA government. But,
BMS itself also unanimously resolved to decry NITI AAYOG in their National Con-
ference held on 22-24 may last. According to report published in the press, they have
condemned the Govt‘s think tank with the words like (it is) ―instrumental to misguided
and directionless reforms‖. According to them the government was guided by people
who are connected with ordinary people and who have no knowledge about real
India, comprised of ―lopsided intellectuals‖. ―NITI Ayog is not at all wor-ried that
agriculture is in total collapse and India‘s record marked as ―notorious internationally
for lakhs of farmers committing suicide.‖ BMS blamed ―NITI Aayog gave the
Government an anti-labour face. The Govt. must ensure that Niti Ayog does not
formulate its labour policies without effecting tripartite consultation.
It is interesting to note the interview of BMS President Saji Narayanan published in
Outlook issue of June 12, 2017. He referred to Economic Survey 2014… Manufac-
turing sector has collapsed, we have largest deficit in foreign trade since indepen-
dence… attempts to generate employment has been converted to dearth of jobs.
NITI Aayog has failed to address it. More jobs have been lost than created.
3.9 FDI has been declared in 15 major industries which include Railways,
Defence, Civil aviation, General Insurance etc. CPSUs have been directed to pay
at enhanced minimum 30% of net profits as dividend. Buy back of equity and
mandatory bonus shares by CPSUs who have stipulated amount of reserves to
the government and private share holders. Thus reserve of Coal India Limited
has been reduced to Rs. 7000 crores from Rs.63000 crores.
Reliance Mutual Fund Managers has been appointed to provide consultancy and
execute project privatisation of the strategic CPSUs of the nation. National institute of
Public Finance and policy (NIPFP) has submitted a paper. It has suggested ‗the way
forward is more aggressive privatisation – especially for 17 Navaratnas, 73
Miniratnas and other 140 smaller PSUs. ‗NITI Aayog‘ comprising of handicapped

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personnel, appointed by Central government for this purpose have already pro-
duced a big list of 74 CPSUs for outright sale. Profit making oil companies like
ONGC, Oil India etc & BEML are in the list. Central government has placed
Electric-ity (Amendment) bill, `14 in parliament. Motto is total privatisation of
electricity in-dustry. Merger of nationalised banks will be made, game plan is total
privatisation of banks. BIFR & AAIFR will also be abolished. They do not hesitate
to sell national heritage – Achryya Prafulla Ch. Ray‘s dream project ‗Bengal
Chemical & Pharma-ceuticals‘. Thus they are trying to implement PM‘s word that
―the business of the government is no business‖.
3.10 With RSS backed and BJP led Modi government in power at the centre hei-
nous campaign against Muslim minorities & Dalits have been started by RSS.RSS
being a utter rightist, utter reactionary and religious fascist organisation first tar-geted
the Muslim minorities and Rationalists , then the Dalits and now the Progressives
and the Lefts. The country has witnessed the murder of Narendra Davolkar, Gobind
Pansare and K.M.Kalburgi. Grusome murder of Md.Aklakh on the fake charge of
preserving beef in the house have also been witnessed. Food habits, cultural
diversities and religious practices are attacked. We have witnessed the killing of Dalit
children at Haryana, severely beating and causing fatal injury of 4 dalits at Gujrat,
who were collecting skin of dead cows by the so called Go-Raksha forces. The
country is also on looker of the attacks against Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula by
Hyderabad University Management supported by two Central Ministers, result-ing in
his suicidal death and arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar of JNU and physical attack on him in
the name of so called Nationalism. CPI(M) Central Committee office also has faced
attack by these RSS goons.

3.11 The country men have not remained mere on looker of the wretched
scenario. Though Modi remained almost mum, specially Lefts and Democratic
forces have organised countrywide strong protest movement against such attack
on Secular-ism, Democracy by RSS. We have witnessed that many eminent
persons of na-tional and international repute, including Writers, Historians,
Scientists, Film & The-atre Personalities and a former chief of Navy etc have
raised their voices of protest against the atmosphere of spreading intolerance in
the country. Many have returned awards, which include‘ Academy award‘ also.
But the RSS led BJP and BJP led Central government are committed to fulfil their
motto i.e. to covert India as Hindu Rashtra. So the atrocious campaigns against
Muslims and Dalits are still continued. The Authoritarian characteristics of RSS
are gradually coming to lime light on several issues like issuing circular expartie
against Animal trading. The Lefts are continuously lodging protest movements
against Fas-cist RSS and RSS led BJP government.
So attacks against Secularism, Democracy and Federalism are interlinked. There-
fore resistance against both this attacks is the historic responsibility. So working

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class of India has to play vital role to protect the three pillars of constitution.
3.12 Modi government is determined to abolish the whole structure of existing Labour
laws, achieved through numerous movements & struggles, strikes in pre & post
independence period at the cost of sweats, Bloodshed, jail custody and deaths of
lacs of labours. The government‘s aim is aggressively pushing through sweeping
changes in existing Labour laws is nothing but to push out overwhelming majority of
workers out of the coverage of all Labour laws and to drastically curb the Trade
Union rights, while CITU and other TUs raised the issue of strict enforcement of
Labour laws and universal Social Security but Modi government is doing away with
all rights components in all Labour laws aiming at creating conditions of Bonded
labour in all the work place. EPF and ESI schemes are proposed to be made op-
tional which is also aimed at demolishing the PF and ESI schemes dismantling the
basic social security structure available to the Organised Sector and for Unorganised
Sector workers. Old schemes are being repackaged and renamed without provid-ing
for funds and implementation machinery network with a view to befool the people.
3.13 In the last 3 years with the support of Modi government many State govern-
ments have brought about drastic anti worker changes in basic Labour laws viz.
Industrial Disputes Act, Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, Factories Act,
Apprenticeship Act and Trade Union Act etc. introducing Hire & Fire, throwing more
than 71% of factories out of coverage of Factories Act and making all Contractors
employing up to 50 workers free from any obligation towards workers. Proposed new
Small Factories (Regulation and Service conditions) bill prescribes that major 14
labour laws will not apply to factories employing up to 40 workers. This Modi
government wants to prepare 5 Labour Code laws like Wage Code, Industrial Rela-
tion Code etc. by way of amalgamating 44 Labour laws. Be it enforced the utilities
employing up to 300 will not require any permission from government for retrench-
ment of workers or for closure of the utility. Thus 90% workers of Organised Sector
will be victim of whims of owners. Right to strike is under attack. 8 days‘ wage will be
cut for participation in one day‘s strike if declared as illegal by the competent au-
thority. These bills have been put in Public domain without consulting the TUs and
thereby violating the provisions of ILO convention 144 of Tripartite consultation.

3.14 CITU and forefront CTUs condemned granting by Modi government for virtual
exemption of 9 basic Labour laws like Industrial Disputes Act, TU Act, Industrial
Employment (standing order) Act, Payment of Gratuity Act Contract Labour (Regu-
lation & Abolition) Act, EPF Act, ESI Act etc. to the start up companies, including 5
year old registered establishment, on the plea of (hand holding & naturing).
Proposal to codify the Central Labour laws by the labour ministry merging all 44
Central Legislations into four Labour Codes is meanwhile known to all of us. Those
will be on Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security and Safety & Welfare. Apart
from Industrial Relations and Wages, other Codes are likely to be released shortly.

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The proposal is now well known to the Trade Union movement in the country.
The Labour ministry had in March, 2015 drafted a similar Labour Code on wages
that would merge four Wage-related Legislations viz., Equal Remuneration Act
1976; Minimum Wages Act 1948; Payment of Wages Act 1936 and Payment of
Bonus Act 1965.
Draft Code on Industrial Relations was published during May 2015 proposing
amal-gamation of three important labour laws of the country viz., The Trade
Unions Act 1926; The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 and
The Industrial Disputes Act 1947.
Similarly, several industrial safety and welfare laws such as the Factories Act, the
Mines Act and the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, will be
merged to create a Single Code on Industrial Safety and Welfare.
Earlier within three weeks of Modi's US visit during September 2015, the govern-
ment had released a draft law for small factories — which excluded them from 14
labour laws.
Draft Labour Code on Social Security & Welfare has been notified recently on
16th March 2017. This has amalgamated all existing labour laws related to social
secu-rity, factually 15 Labour Laws including EPF Act, ESI Act, Maternity Benefit
Act, Payment of Gratuity Act, Employees Compensation Act, Unorganised Social
Secu-rity Act etc.
Draft Labour Code on Social Security & Welfare by amalgamating all existing re-
lated Labour Laws, it has to be noted that through this process, all the Acts are
going to be withdrawn and in their place some Codes are going to be enacted.
While the provisions of the Acts are continuously being violated by even the gov-
ernments in the Centre and in the States, who will care for following the Codes?
While the Acts are at least binding and Courts‘ protection are available, who will
sincerely follow the Codes which are nothing but some promises and it is well
known that promises are made in this society for violation only.
Therefore the exact motive behind this sinister design to replace the existing labour
laws in to 4 Codes is to be understood and possibly through this process all the
existing rights of the working people will totally be snatched and they will be under
the mercy of the employers without any legal provision to protect their rights.
3.15 Mr.Narendra Modi, a master one to delude people with cheap slogan banned all
notes of Rs.1000/- & Rs.500/- on 8th Nov,2016.None of the four objectives – combating
Black Money, Corruption, Counterfeit Currency and Terrorist funding – that the Prime
Minister listed as the reason for demonetisation are achievable through this move.
People still do not know how much black money have been reclaimed after lapse of
almost 8 months, but Terrorists attack on our Soldiers are continued. On the contrary
more than 100 people including a good number of Bank employees have died in the
queue for changing money. Thousands of Unorganised Sector

14
workers specially Construction workers, Goldsmiths have lost their jobs and earn-
ings. Small Businessmen have also suffered a lot. Economic growth line & GDP
growth line have been declined. These are the outcomes. Another outcome is the
Banks, who had not sufficient money in hand due to failure of the corporate houses
to repay the loans taken from banks, have received huge quantum of money de-
posited at the banks in course of changing the banded notes at the cost of suffer-ings
of the People, Working class, Small savers, middle class people specially Re-tired
employees who deposit money in banks for interest are also suffered as term deposit
interest rate is decreased to a great extent and Indian economy.
The Working class, Working people, Peasants and Democratic people in the states
have not surrendered, have not accepted Policies relating to Economic, Labour,
Agriculture, Commerce whatever it may be followed by Modi government based on
New Liberal Economy. They have not also paid honour to the Educational, Cultural
steps and the politics of Hindutya dominated by RSS. During last 3 years the Work-
ing class both from Organised and Unorganised Sector like Steel Plant, Dock, Elec-
tricity, Coal, Cement, Construction, plantation, Bank, Insurance, Postal, Central &
State government employees, Bidi, Scheme workers like Anganwadi, ASHA, Para
Teacher and so many section of working class organised numerous Movements &
Struggle in the form of Rally, Stay in Demonstration , Dharna, March to Parliament
/Assembly house, Strikes in the states & countrywide, which deserve worthy men-
tionable. Strikes were conducted not only for one or two days, in some cases it have
been for indefinite periods, continued for months together and even up to more than
one year also. Many strikes have got victory also. Country men have witnessed
historic successful All India general strikes on 2nd September, 2015 & 2016 at the
call of central T.U.s & Federations, at which 15 crores & 18 crores of workers par-
ticipated respectively.
3.16 Movements for Equal Wage for Equal Works to effect Supreme Court‘s Verdict
are continued countrywide. These Movements & Struggles have been organised
ignoring the threatening of ruling parties and their arms Police, Goons and Black
laws compelling governments (both central & state) & owners in many cases to
accept the demands of workers. Peasants did not remain silent spectator not only at
their sufferings but also at the working classes movements & actively participated in
thousands in countrywide movements of working class. They also have lodged
heroic struggles for lands, irrigations and for profitable price of crops and against
Land Acquisition Ordinance of Modi government keeping shining examples of Work-
ing class – Peasants unity. Working class – Peasants unity Divas is observed coun-
trywide every year with due regard on 19th January in the memory of martyrs of all
India strike on 19th January 1982 at the call of central TUs in which peasants also
participated in a mass. Students, youths, Women & other section of Democratic
masses have also lodged countrywide Protest Movements against Modi govern-ment
and against antisocial & atrocious activities of RSS goons and their arms.

15
3.17 These three years have confirmed that a new ‗trimurti` is being sculpted.
1. Relentless pursuit of aggressive Communal polarisation in the effort to trans-
form the Secular Democratic Character of the Indian Republic into the RSS
version of a rabidly Intolerance Fascistic ‗Hindu Rastra`.
2. The pursuit of the Neoliberal Trajectory of Economic Reforms, more aggres-
sively than pursued by UPA government, imposing unprecedented burdens
on the vast majority of our people.
3. Increasing recourse to Authoritarian measures undermining the Institutions of
Parliamentary Democracy and running roughshod over Democratic Rights
and Civil Liberties.
As far as the majority of the Indian People are concerned, there is an economic
disaster rather than any cause for celebrations.
● Lowest new jobs in eight labour intensive industries.
● 1.35 lac of youth getting job where 1.25 crores are coming in employment
mar-ket per year.
● Worst decline in Exports in 64 years.
● Inflation and price rise of Essential Commodities continued.
● Annual Core Sector growth is very low in the Decade.
● Farmers‘ Suicidal death increased to a great extent.
● Rural wages decline in real terms lowest in a Decade.
● Drastic cut in Social Security measures continued.
● Savings Bank deposits growth at a 54 year low.
● NPAs of Banks more than Rs.13 lac crore and growing.
● New & more Taxes, Surcharges & Cesses on items used by poor.
● The Richest 1% now posses 58% of wealth of India. It was 49% in 2014.
● Growth rate of bank loan taken @ 5.1%, lowest at Sixty Six years.
Mr. Jetly claims India is number one in GDP growth. Considering the above
pictures it is proved fact that claim is a great bluff. Economists of our country and
abroad do not believe it. We may opine about such claim as ‗Empty Vessel
sounds much‘. Sufferings of people will be unbearable on the execution of GST
from first July, 2017.
3.18 GST mainly consists of Centre‘s Excise Duty (CED) and Service Tax, and
State‘s Sales Tax. In one stroke the Central Government has increased its indirect
taxes manyfold. CED is origin-based taxation while GST is the destination-based
taxation. There is huge difference on cost/price at origin and Consumer‘s price in

16
destination; and, therefore, huge difference in Taxation between CED to Central
Government at origin and CGST at destination. For example, 6% was the CED on a
medicine on cost per kg. Assuming the cost is Rs.10,000 per kg, the CED would be
Rs.600. Assuming again, the same medicine, in formulation, per kg at retail level is
Rs.50,000 and the GST is 12%, as fixed in the GST Rate Schedule; the GST would
be Rs.6,000. Out of this, the CGST to the Central Government would be Rs.3,000
and SGST to the consumption State Government would be Rs.3,000 as against VAT.
It shows that Central Government increased its tax burden on the people on the
same medicine from Rs.600 to Rs.3,000, a 5 times rise.
Further, CED generally is fixed with some variations in inputs; while there is
spiral-ing increase of GST with every increase of retail prices. Central and State
Govern-ments are happy in sharing the windfall gain.
GST has been imposed on all Public Services like Rail, Road, Water Transport;
Postal Communication and on other Essential Services.
GST Rate Schedule on Pharmaceutical products, notified after GST Council
meet-ing held on 18 May 2017, relied on Central Excise Notification of an earlier
date of 17 March 2012 ignoring subsequent 29 July 2013 Notification. The GST
Rate Sched-ule (i) exempted only Human Blood and Contraceptives from GST;
(ii) fixed 5% GST on all formulation as per List I of DPCO 1995; and (iii) 12%
GST on rest of the medicines.
As a result the prices of Essential Medicines increased at least by 2.5% and
there is spiraling price increase of other Medicines. This 2.5% price increase of
essential medicines is due to 2.5% CGST to Central Government out of 5% GST
as against zero CED on all medicinal formulations of 348 Drugs and Drug
Combinations in NLEM under earlier 29 July 2013 notification based on which
NPPA had fixed ceil-ing prices under DPCO, 2013.
Further, GST Rate Schedule in 2017 considered List I (based on 74 essential
bulk drugs) of DPCO, 1995 when DPCO, 2013 has a different and much broader
Essen-tial Drug list as NLEM. As a result, several Drugs / Combination of Drugs
in NLEM have 12% GST. This has forced NPPA to revise upward the ceiling
price of NLEM drug formulations.
3.19 Yet Modi government is celebrating three years‘ tenure by expending crores of
rupees in hundreds of people‘s money. Victory in recent elections in U.P., Assam
and Uttarakhand President election and on Bihar issue (Nitish Kumars camp change
and taking shelter under the feather of Modi) has made BJP, RSS and its various
arms and Modi government more & more aggressive to continue barbarous attacks
against Dalits, Muslims minorities, Democracy, Civil & Human Rights and above all
the poorer section of the people of India. Consequent of heinous campaign atro-
cious attacks on Muslims at Joypur (Rajasthan) at local train from Delhi to Haryana,
at Ramgarh of Jharkhand and in so many places of the country, resulting in severe

17
injuries and gruesome murders also have been committed by the so called cow
saving forces. This RSS goons have not even hesitated to commit physical attack on
CPI(M) general Secretary in New Delhi at Central Committee office of CPI(M).
Countrymen have also witnessed countrywide mass agitation under the banner ‗NOT
IN MY NAME‘. against the uncivilised antisocial activities of RSS gangsters.
Attacks of the Ruling Class will be centralised more & more on the people of
India in the forth coming days. But attacks of the ruling class & their vary -
coloured organisations are not the last word. Protest and Resistance,
Movements & Struggles are the last word. It is the Working Class & Working
People who will speak for last word through series of Movements & Struggles to
protect Life & Livelihood, to pro-tect Democracy, to protect Communal Harmony,
to protect our Cultural heritage, to protect Civil Liberty & Human Rights & above
all to protect our beloved Mother land‘s Freedom & Sovereignty. Let us come
forward to take oath that we shall devote ourselves in such struggles.
3.20 Situation of our country so far social fabric is concerned is grim. At the end of
life the famous Bengali Poet Rabindranath Tagore, who also had broad humanitar-
ian outlook. In his famous essay titled The Crisis of Civilisation wrote ―A DAY WILL
COME WHEN UNVANQUISHED MAN WILL RETRACE HIS PATH OF CONQUEST,
DESPITE ALL BARRIERS, TO WIN BACK HIS LOST HUMAN HERITAGE‖. Now, it
appears that the day has come, when people of India need to regain its Human
Heritage. Our Government in the Centre and some States ruled by the same party is
determined to delete the Tradition of Unity and Harmony, for which most of the
people of India are proud. Sequences of events leads us to believe that lives of cows
are precious than that of Human Life. Between 2010 and 2017 there were 63 Racial
attacks by the cow conserves leading to loss of 28 lives out of which 24 are Muslims.
Most of the attacks based upon rumor held in BJP ruled states. In first 6 months of
2017 altogether 20 attacks were there. All these were backed by Narendra Modi
formerly Chief Minister of Gujarat and unfortunately now, the Prime Minister of India.
He indulged all these Trouble Mongers.
Communalism and lack of Caste cohesion has emerged as an immense crisis be-
fore the working class in the ambience of Neo-Liberal Economy. Whenever RSS led
BJP-allies in NDA captured power in our country this evil rose to its peak. NDA
Government led by Narendra Modi captured power in Delhi. Huge campaign backed
by big capitalists of the country focused a rosy picture before the Indian people. Their
slogan ―Acche Din Aayega‖ penetrated among the people not only of lower economic
strata, middle class along with upper middle class swayed with the slo-gan and
expected to believe that Modi Ji will be able to get relief for the people in the arena of
Unemployment, Poverty and Hunger. In practice things went into reverse direction.
Whatever scope of Government expenditure towards job creation, Public Distribution
System and Social sector was there, all was reduced to considerable extent. Modi
Government used to show its interest to protect an extend the interest

18
of Monopoly Capital and Corporate houses. Besides wide relief in Direct and Cor-
porate taxes, so many sectors like Bank, Insurance, Railways, Defence, Agricul-ture,
Communication as well Media was declared open for Private and Foreign
investment. Modi Government, while making in road for Private Profit Mongers de-
voted to disinvestment of Public Sector Institutions in all spheres of economy. This
policy will lead to corporatization of our important resources of production in Agri-
culture, Manufacturing, Transportation and Services related to Energy. Since inde-
pendence Planning Commission comprised of eminent personalities in the field of
Science, Technology, Economics, Agricultures, Education had the liberty of devel-
opment planning as per requirement of the people, with best utilization of Natural
Resources of the country. Planning Commission has been disbanded with a body of
sycophants of Modi. So far they have recommended lots of disinvestment and
privatisation proposals. Working class of India challenged this Agenda of Modi Gov-
ernment through 2nd September Strike in consecutive years 2015 and 2016. 12 point
demands of the Strike embraced burning issues of all section of toiling people. 15-18
Crores workers and employees from formal and informal sectors took part in these
two strikes. Government took dubious attempt before the strike though pro-paganda
that demands have been conceded to.
3.21 The consistent and continued decline of the economy impacting the mass of
the people, worsening poverty, increasing unemployment and job losses,
continu-ing price rise, widening inequalities and the shapr deterioration in the
quality of employment through widespread contractorisation, casualisation of
workplaces. The neoliberal regime promoted transfer of resources from the
people who create wealth to a handful of the rich and the corporates. Deeper the
crises, the speedier is the pace of such transfer, the loot of our toiling people, the
plunder of our natural re-sources and national wealth to benefit the big corporate
business clique. In 2014 1% people possessed 49% of wealth of the country
within 3 years it becomes 58%. This is the outcome of ‘ACHHE DIN’ as promised
by our Prime Ministerial candi-date before the Parliament Election in 2014. Of
course he did not mention ‘ACHHE DIN’ for whom.
This trend continued to this day. The decline in the lives and livelihoods of the
people and in all parameters of the economy continues. But the Governments
projections and claims related to GDP figures show an increase. The government
claim of 7.6% GDP growth is a statistical manipulation. The methodology of
calcu-lating GDP growth rate has been changed from measuring the volume
growth in manufacturing to computing of value addition in manufacturing and in
some other respects. In fact, the government‘s optimistic estimates of GDP
growth of 7.3% for 2914 - 15 and its claim of 7.6% growth by the end of 2015-16
are not relied upon by their own experts. The RBI Government himself expressed
doubt on such esti-mates.

19
3.22 As per official estimates, agriculture has grown by 1.2% in 2015-16. But in
reality, food grain production has shown a marked decline by more than ten
million tonnes compared to 2013-14, in both the years under MODI regime.
Drastic de-cline in agricultural employment on the one had and loss of income to
the farmers, barring the landlords, on the other. The suicide of more than 500
farmers in 2015 is a reflection of the continuing crisis in agriculture. The droughts
in 13 states affect-ing 54 crores of people is severely impacting the livelihood and
living conditions of people and their live stock. Are these sings of overall growth?
The agrarian crisis has rendered the life of agricultural workers so vulnerable that
lakhs of them are migrating from agriculture to cities in quest of means of
survival. But given the gloomy situation in the urban economy, they find no
prospects of jobs there either. They are compelled to join the vast army of
unemployed facing severe destitution.
On the whole, poverty in the country is depending and widening. So is the
obscene inequality between the handful of corporates, big business houses and
speculators on the one hand and vast millions of common people on the other.
The incomes of the common people are going down. There are direct onslaughts
on their earnings as well as indirect pressure of increasing prices and the
burdens imposed by the government in various routes. The market is getting
squeezed. But the govern-ment is totally unmindful about the vicious impact of its
policies on the people in-cluding those who voted them to power. They are in
fact, acting as the enemy of the people.
3.23 The prices of all essential commodities have been increasing consistently
throughout the intervening period despite successive government‘s claims of
con-trolling inflation. Throughout this entire period wholesale price index has
been con-tinuously increasing with occasional marginal decline in between. But
the prices of essential commodities continue to rise.
The BJP government at the centre has added fuel to fire by its frequent hikes in
the prices of petrol and diesel. This had a cascading effect on the prices. The
govern-ment has been doing this despite the low and falling price of crude oil in
the interna-tional market. In the last two years, diesel prices were hiked 20 times
and petrol prices 17 times till October 2016. The consistent fall in the crude oil
price in the international market did not have any reflection in domestic prices of
petroleum product as the entire gain of fall in international prices has been cruelly
appropri-ated by the government. Now it has been normalised that every day the
price of petroleum products are being revised.
3.24 The economic misrule by the BJP led government is also leading to aggrava-
tion of unemployment to an alarming height. BJP‘s poll Promise of providing 2 crore
jobs every year has actually turned into contraction of employment during last three
year long NDA rule. Not only that, the quality of employment is also sharply

20
deteriorating owing to the gross anti worker and pro corporate policies of the gov-
ernment.
If we take into account the employment scenario during the entire three year
period from 2013 to 2015, the total increase in employment in these most
employment intensive sectors was merely 9.74 lakh. The situation started
worsening from mid 2014 itself.
Closures of industries during the intervening period, resulting loss of jobs to millions
who were employed is taken into account, the picture of unemployment becomes
more dismal. It indicates negative growth or absolute decline in employment during
this entire period, thereby exposing the employment generating ability of the
neoliberal policy regime. As per official data, more than 19% of 13.70 lakh regis-tered
industrial units were reported to have closed by the end of 2014, 56,008 out of the
2.79 lakhs registered companies in Maharashtra, 41,629 out of the 1.78 lakh
registered companies in West Bengal and 41,458 out of the 2.57 lakh registered
companies in Delhi downed their shutters. Most of these closures/shut downs and
resultant retrenchments involving several middle and large enterprises are illegal.
Impact of demonitisation also aggravated the unemployment problems. Lakhs of
people lost their jobs during that horrible period. More than hundred men died in
the cash withdrawal Qs. of the banks.
On the whole, the unemployment situation is becoming graver and grimmer
every passing day reflecting the incapacity of the present policy regime to create
jobs. Rather, their pro corporate policies, in the name of creating employment,
have re-sulted in killing of job opportunities on the one hand and imposing
destitution and poverty on overwhelming majority of those in employment.
3.25 The Modi government followed the same path of looting the people more
ag-gressively even before presenting its first budget in July 2014. Steep all round
hike in railway fares were there. 14.2% hike in passenger fare, hike in monthly
ticket rates for regular commuters, mostly working people, 6.5% increase in
freight and 3% surcharge on freight users and AC passengers etc were
implemented - all through executive orders.
The Union Budget of 2016 - 17 also repeated the same exercise of loot on the
common people for the benefit of the rich business class. While the burden of direct
tax was further reduced by Rs. 1060 crore, indirect tax burden on the people was
hiked by Rs. 20670 crore. At the same time almost entire burden of central schemes
like ICDS, Mid-day-meal, ASHA etc, particularly payment to the concerned schemes
workers and related obligations was & shifted on to the state governments. Simul-
taneously policy decisions have been finally taken to gradually hand over operation
of most of these schemes like MDM, NHM etc to private corporate entities through
various mechanisms. The process of such retrograde dilution and subversions of
these central flagship schemes, which have been in existence for several years

21
providing some relief to the people appears to have reached the final stage under
BJP rule.
3.26 Recent unilateral decision of the Govt to merge the Railway Budget with the
Central Budget departing from the practice of having a separate Railway Budget and
separately debated in Parliament is to be understood in the above overall
programme of the Govt of imposing loot and burden on the people in general. Said
merger decision must not be taken on its face value; it is integral to the design of the
blueprint of commercial and privatisation of the biggest public transportation sys-tem
in tune with the retrograde recommendation of the Bibek Debroy Committee.
The government is determined to extend the ‗Direct Benefit Transfer‘ (DBT), started
sometime back for LPG subsidy to other subsidies also. The subsidy amount is
transferred to the bank account of the concerned beneficiary linked with his / her
Aadhar Card. This is meant to ensure exclusion of large sections of people legiti-
mately eligible for subsidies. Large sections of people are yet to be enrolled in
Aadhar Card scheme. Large areas, particularly in the rural areas are yet to be cov-
ered by the banking services; out of around 1.02.343 bank branches (Private and
public sector banks and RRBs together) around 40.000 are in rural areas (mostly
public sector banks and RRBs) to cater around 6 lakh villages in the country leaving
a large segment of rural areas uncovered by banking services. This is a satanic way
of depriving the poor of their legitimate rights.
The BJP - led Government is determined to hand over our national assets built
with tax payers money and the labour of the toiling people to the big business
houses within and outside the country is pursuing a policy of utter bankruptcy
and betrayal to the nation.
3.27 The latest onslaught by the Modi government is its decision to privatise 22
CPSUs under its derogatory policy of strategic sale. The list includes the plants of
Maharashtra SAIL located at Salem, Durgapaur and Bhadravati, subsidiary units of
IOCL, Helicoper Corporation, Cement Corporation, National Jute Manufacturing
Corporation, Bharat Wagon & Engineering, Central Electronic Corporation, Burn
Standard, Heavy Engineering Corporation and more. In the meantime the govern-
ment initiated steps to privaties 67 discovered oil India Ltd. Sale of Land and other
assets of CPUSs are also included in the disastrous move. Government has an-
nounced the closure of Hidustan Cables , Biofuels subsidiaries of IOC and HPLC.
The workers of the CPSUs are also under attack. The Modi Government has is-
sued directive to the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) through
Department of Public Enterprises (OPE).
3.28 GST mainly consists of Centre‘s Excise Duty (CED) and Service Tax, and
State‘s Sales Tax. In one stroke the Central Government has increased its indirect
taxes manyfold. CED is origin-based taxation while GST is the destination-based
taxation. There is huge difference on cost/price at origin and consumer‘s price in

22
destination; and, therefore, huge difference in taxation between CED to Central
Government at origin and CGST at destination. For example, 6% was the CED on a
medicine on cost per kg. Assuming the cost is Rs.10,000 per kg, the CED would be
Rs.600. Assuming again, the same medicine, in formulation, per kg at retail level is
Rs.50,000 and the GST is 12%, as fixed in the GST Rate Schedule; the GST would
be Rs.6,000. Out of this, the CGST to the Central Government would be Rs.3,000
and SGST to the consumption State Government would be Rs.3,000 as against VAT.
It shows that Central Government increased its tax burden on the people on the
same medicine from Rs.600 to Rs.3,000, a 5 times rise.
Further, CED generally is fixed with some variations in inputs; while there is
spiral-ing increase of GST with every increase of retail prices. Central and State
Govern-ments are happy in sharing the windfall gain.
GST has been imposed on all public services like rail, road, water transport;
postal communication and on other essential services.
3.29 Collection, compilation and conclusion of all GST related data have been
be-stowed by the Government to a private entity as GST Network (GSTN),
created in 2013, with shares of 24.5% to Central Government; 24.5% to State
Governments together and 51% to five private firms. Some of these private firms
are controlled to the extent of 75 percent by FIIs. Questions were raised inside
and outside the Par-liament about the confidentiality and security of the data
collected by GSTN on trade and business, including of public sector enterprises
and services, which may be easily available to others including foreign firms.
Yet, as reported by PTI on 25 November 2016 the Government admitted that
there was no security clearance was obtained for the private institutions that hold
stake in GST- Network.
Being a private enterprise GSTN remains outside the ambit of audit by CAG and
RTI. Recently, GSTN refused to give CAG access to its network. How then CAG
auditors will have access to GST data?
3.30 Finance Act 2016 repealed several social welfare Acts for the workers and
abolished Cesses. Based on that, the Union Ministry of Finance, by their notification
on 27 July 2016 directed that ―none of these Cesses is collected w.e.f. 01st April,
2016‖ from industries of Mica Mines, Salt, Merchant Shipping, Textiles, Limestone
and Dolomite Mines, Tobacco, Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines and Chrome
Ore Mines and Cine-workers directly affecting about 1.5 crores of the workers.
Cesses for the workers‘ welfare in other industries have been subsumed in the GST.
On the other side, the Modi government has already combined all social se-curity
Acts for the workers like ESI, EPF, CMPF, Building and Other Workers Wel-fare
Fund etc into the proposed single ‗Code on Social Security‘ to mop up about Rs.12
lakh crores accumulated funds for the workers, including workers‘ own con-tribution,
to be managed by the ‗National Council of Social Security‘ directly under

23
the Prime Minister on the plea of an universal and omnibus scheme (not yet pre-
pared).
3.31 By a notification on 29 July 2013, the then UPA government (i) exempted
Central Excise Duty (CED) on all formulations based on 348 drugs /
combinations of drugs in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) under
Drugs Price Con-trol Order (DPCO), 2013; (ii) nil CED on several other drugs
and (iii) 6% CED on rest of the drugs at cost / kg.
GST Rate Schedule on pharmaceutical products, notified after GST Council
meet-ing held on 18 May 2017, relied on Central Excise notification of an earlier
date of 17 March 2012 ignoring subsequent 29 July 2013 notification. The GST
Rate Sched-ule (i) exempted only human blood and contraceptives from GST; (ii)
fixed 5% GST on all formulation as per List I of DPCO 1995; and (iii) 12% GST
on rest of the medicines.
As a result the prices of essential medicines increased at least by 2.5% and there
is spiraling price increase of other medicines. This 2.5% price increase of
essential medicines is due to 2.5% CGST to Central Government out of 5% GST
as against zero CED on all medicinal formulations of 348 drugs and drug
combinations in NLEM under earlier 29 July 2013 notification based on which
NPPA had fixed ceiling prices under DPCO, 2013.
Further, GST Rate Schedule in 2017 considered List I (based on 74 essential
bulk drugs) of DPCO, 1995 when DPCO, 2013 has a different and much broader
essen-tial drug list as NLEM. As a result, several drugs / combination of drugs in
NLEM have 12% GST. This has forced NPPA to revise upward the ceiling price
of NLEM drug formulations.
In place of 2013 notification of CED from ‗Exempted‘, ‗Nil‘ and 6% on cost/kg, as
stated above; the Central Government will earn 6% CGST on ultimate retail price
on almost all medicines with exception of human blood and contraceptives; and
2.5% on retail price of all earlier exempted list of essential drugs.
4.1 Energy and Environment :
The Core of Energy policy is to ensure Energy security of the people country concerned.
There is a firm relationship between the rate of growth of the economy and Energy
consumption. Unless Energy supply is improved the growth will be declined. But demand
side management is a tool to cope with the growth of economy. Energy efficiency is
needed to be improved. India has entered lately into the arena of Energy efficiency or
conservation with legislation of Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Electricity is the most
convenient and user friendly form of Energy. A good number of Energy policy has so far
India adopted. Latest one is published on 27.06. 2017. As a matter of habit of the policy
makers, in this NEP it has been mentioned that all the census villages will be electrified
by 2018 and universal electrification is

24
to be achieved with 24 X 7 electricity by 2022. Taking part in the Paris Climate
meet, our ambitious Prime Minister has committed ―Go above and beyond‖. He
also stressed upon ―Our duty towards protecting the mother earth and our natural
resources. For us, this (Protection of environment) is an article of faith.
Latest policy declaration mentioned that the contribution of manufacturing sector
in GDP is presently 16% which will suit to 25% by 2022. Ministry of Petroleum
has declared Oil import will be reduced 10% by 2022 from level, as it was 2014-
15. In the tune of Mr. Modi National Development Council has declared emission
intensity will be reduced by 33%-35% by 2030 over 2005, achieving a 175 GW
renewable Energy capacity by 2022.
We welcome all these policy decisions. But we need to think over whether the
third world countries like India should bear the thrust of keeping climate as it was
before 1997? Our Prime Minister did not raise the question of per capita emission
reduction. Whether this is only for balancing or pleasing the capitalist imperialist
world bosses? Question remains unanswered.
Our further questions 1,75,000 MW renewable Energy generation is also good.
So far reduction of emission is concerned. Who will bear the cost of installation
as well interest there upon for shutting down the Coal based Power stations?
Some plants has entered into long term PPAs, who will fulfill their contractual
obligations? Who will bear the burden of availability based tariff for the plants
needed to be backed down?
A Report jointly prepared by USAID & MoP Govt Of India for greening the grid to
integrate 175 GW Renewable Energy by 2022, a Death warrant for Thermal
Plants was issued. As per the report 20 GW of coal fired plants will remain totally
shut down round the year, the minimum operating level of existing thermal plants
to be reduced from 70% to 55% and further to 40% by 2022. PLF of central
sector coal plants will be reduced from 64% to 56% and that of State owned
plants from 57% to 43%. Energy output from Gas based plants to be reduced by
32% and that of coal based plants will be reduced by 21% by replacing them by
Renewable Energy(RE). Report has come in June 2017 and it will pave the path
for almost total SHUTDOWN of State owned thermal plants.
4.2 Oil & Gas
Plunder of private companies in oil fields and shameless role of Government:
In extending welcome to the private parties in the field of oil exploration and
production, the successive Governments have played the most shameless and
dubious roles. In 1991, the GOI compelled the upstream oil PSUs to take loan
from World Bank and IMF. The main condition of the loan was that these oil
PSUs must work together with the foreign multinational companies.
4.3 In 1991, ONGC was extended a loan of Rs. 540 million from the World Bank as per
the instruction of GOI and in turn ONGC was compelled to hand over the operation

25
of Mukta and Panna – the two most viable oil fields of ONGC – to ENRON, a
USA oil company. Later, Enron produced huge quantity of gas from these fields
and sold it in India at a price double that the prevailing international price. This
Enron is the consortium formed in collaboration with the Reliance. The allegation
is well known that at that stage Reliance paid huge money for horse-trading of
parliamentarians to save the then Narashimha Rao Government against the no-
confidence motion. The Mukta-Panna oil fields were discovered and developed
by ONGC spending some thousands crores of rupees. These fields had gas
reserves estimated to be worth 4-6 billion US Dollars. The process did not end
there; soon thereafter, Rava and Tapti oil fields were also handed over to private
parties. Enron further got a tender of Rs. 50,000 crores to supply gas to Dabhol
power plant of Maharashtra Electricity Board, and the value of the tender is ten
times higher than the budget of the Maharashtra Electricity Board. Thus, the GOI
is allowing the private companies to plunder the natural resources of our country
and simultaneously damaging the PSU companies.
CAG reports on various occasions have exposed controversial dealings that incurred
huge losses to the public exchequer and often pointed out the unholy nexus between
the politicians and corporate groups. Many economists believe that this scandal
involving oil fields is more deep rooted and dangerous for the nation than the
Spectrum Scam. The name of Capt. Satish Sharma, the then Petroleum Minister
have repeatedly surfaced in the scam involving the sale of Panna and Mukta oil
fields. It is alleged that Captain Sharma as a minister had accepted Rs. 4 crores from
Reliance in connection with the sale of these two oil fields. ONGC, which had
developed these fields at the cost of nearly Rs. 500 crores, got nothing from
Reliance. In the name of partnership GOI got on Rs. 21 crores while ONGC got 40%
in the name of equity. But the reserve value of these two fields are estimated to be
$4-6 billion (1 billion dollar=100 crores). A Public Interest Litigation is still pending in
Delhi High Court on Mukta-Panna scam. Like these two oil fields, Tapti oil field was
also handed over to Reliance-Enron while the Rava Oil field of KG basin was handed
over to Videocon-Marebeni joint venture so that they can plunder the natural
resources at the cost of ONGC. The Government extended red carpet welcome to
private plunderers, both national and foreign and allowed shameless loot of natural
resources as in case of Mukta-Panna-Rava-Tapti oil fields, the multi-crore scandal of
Dabhol etc and all these were allowed under the banner of globalization. Even the
greatest champions of globalization were compelled to describe the Dabhol project to
be an economic and human rights disaster. But strangely enough, and for reasons
best known to the ruling parties, our successive Governments at the Centre have not
learnt any lesson and shamelessly pursued the policies that allowed the foreign and
private capital to continue looting the national economy.
4.4 What happened in Gujarat during Narendra Modi‘s regime?
When Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the State Government set

26
up Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) by taking loan of some thousand of
crores from PSU bank and was engaged in oil-exploration activities. GSPC
announced that under NELP it has discovered the largest gas reserve in Krishna-
Godavari basin. But even after investing nearly Rs. 19,700 crores during the last 5-6
years, GSPC has not been able to produce a single drop of gas or oil. CAG has
pulled the Gujarat Government and warned it for such futile venture; but the State
Government has maintained silence on the issue. In 2005, Modi as the CM had
stated that there was 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas worth Rs. 2,20,000 crores in
the said block. He also told that due to above, the import bill for gas would come
down and nation can save huge amount as GSPC would produce gas from 2007. But
till date no production has been made. GSPC could not bear the burden of the huge
debt and was compelled into joint venture with Geo Global Resources of Barbados
and thus a state-owned PSU entered into the net of private multinational company. In
order to start gas production in KG Basin, the GSPC paid Rs. 5000 crores to Tuff
Drilling, a private company, to procure Platform Rig. Tuff Drilling was a newly
established company of 2007 without any previous experience in the field of oil
exploration and production. All it did in the six years was to prepare a report of some
hundred pages suggesting indirectly that the oil field would not be economically
viable, without producing any oil or gas. As against the rate of USD 4.2 per Million
Metric British Thermal Unit (MMBTU), fixed by the Government, GSPC over
estimated the rate USD 5.7 per MMBTU. Without proper assessment of the oil and
gas reserve in the fields, GSPC took huge loan from the bank and thus put the state
PSU in danger. Interestingly, some so-called intellectuals and politicians of Assam
are still citing GSPC as the Gujarat Model and misleading the people by suppressing
the crisis into which GSPC has been plunged due to wrong policy.
Theft of gas worth Rs. 30,000 crores from KG Basin (KG-DWN-98/2) of ONGC
fields by Reliance Industries Ltd:
4.5 In Andhra Pradesh, ONGC owns an oil field named KG-DWN-98/2 while Reliance
owns another field adjacent to the same and named KG-DWN-98/2. Reliance stealthily
pumped out gas from ONGC‘s field worth Rs. 30,000 crores, as alleged by ONGC. When
the matter was brought to the notice of the CAG, the Central Government was advised to
take action urgently. Thereafter, DGH appointed DeGoyler and Mac Nanghton (D&M), a
foreign company to enquire into the matter. D&M in its report confirmed that about 9 BCM
(Billion Cubic Meter) gas was stolen by the Reliance group from the ONGC field. ONGC
filed a case in Delhi High Court demanding Rs. 30,000 crore as compensation. In the
Court, on behalf of GOI, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan filed an affidavit in which he
mentioned the case to be baseless and frivolous and belated and submitted that the
Court should not consider the case for hearing nor give cognizance to the petition.
Political pressure was mounted on ONGC to compromise the case of theft. However, the
management of ONGC was determined to continue the legal battle in the court and
finally, the Hon‘ble Court

27
awarded judgment in favour of ONGC and asked Reliance to pay the
compensation to ONGC. Recently Petroleum Ministry advised Reliance to pay
USD 157 million (approximately Rs 1049 crores) to ONGC against Rs. 30,000
crore compensation claimed by ONGC. This is another conspiracy against a
PSU. Unfortunately, political parties and leaders, who swear by national interest,
are, in reality, hand in glove with the private capital and do not hesitate to act
against the interest of the PSUs causing loss to the national exchequer.
Nobody can guarantee that such things will not be repeated in case of marginal oil
fields which are now being auctioned by the Government. The advocates of auction
of the marginal fields do not ever speak about the Mukta-Panna or K G Basin scams.
4.6 Former high level officers‘ involvement in the auction process:
It has come to light that some high- level officers of ONGC and OIL who have
separated from service are involved in the auction process by declaring some
small oil fields as non-viable during their tenure of office. Such officers later
joined private oil exploration companies or formed joint venture with these
companies and this coterie of former officers are showing exceptional interest in
the auction process. When Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan arranged a meeting a
Guwahati, Assam on 25th June 2016 on the issue of auction of 12 oil fields in
Assam, such former officers of ONGC and OIL were present in the meeting and
expressed their interest in the auction.
From the above, it is clear that the whole process of auction of marginal oil fields
is a plan of the Government to privatize the oil sector, particularly the upstream
sector and it is being done at the prompting of private capital so that natural
resources of this country can be handed over to private capital including foreign
multinational companies. Govt.‘s statement of these fields being ―non-viable‘ and
―non-productive‖ is totally baseless and contradictory to the reality.
So our appeal to the people of our country is to protest against such naked
patronization of, and collaboration with, the private capital which is being done at the
cost of our PSUs and by handing over the natural resources and minerals of our
country to the private capital. The way private capital is being patronized speaks of
deeper level of corruption and politician-private capital evil nexus. As per the
Constitution of India, the right of natural resources and minerals should be in the
hands of the Government and being a democratic republic the Government means
the people of the country who should be the actual owner of these resources.
5. Coal Industry
5. 1 India is the world‘s third largest coal producing country and fifth largest in terms
of coal reserves. But the Indian coal sector is facing severe challenges recently and
the irony lies in the fact that these challenges also include shortages. The country‘s
rapid pace of development depends to a great extent on this sector‘s performance.

28
This sector forms the basis of development for many other industries. It is
therefore important to point out the major challenges this industry confronts.
5.2 One of the major problems underlying Indian coal industry is the mismatch
between domestic demand and supply. In spite of being among the top in terms of
global production and reserves, the country is still not capable to meet its domestic
demand of coal and depend therefore on imports.

5.3 Countries like Indonesia which are India‘s major suppliers have started raising
their prices looking at the current global demand. Thus India has to pay higher prices
to import coal. Coal India hikes price using the trick of import parity.

5.4 Pollution is a serious problem that this industry is confronted with at present. The
Government has recognized ‗go‘ and ‗no-go‘ areas where mining can be done and
not to be done respectively. The reasons were massive cutting of forests and
damaging the wildlife of these areas influencing the environment negatively. It is a
tough challenge as both the human health as well as environment need to be
protected however increasing the coal production as well. Government policy of
Green Grid is also posed serious threat for the Coal Industry. Government has
declared addition of 1,75,000 MW Renewable Power Generation Capacity over and
above the present total 3.3 Lakh MW.

5.5 In addition to the insufficient coal supply, there are also delays in coal supply.
The delays happen largely because of poor infrastructure in the country. Supply
usually takes place through rail and road networks but the logistics are poorly
managed leading to delays in further production. The investment in infrastructure is
urgently required to avoid delays in inland transportation of coal from mines to
consumption centers as well as from/to ports.

5.6 Government and merchant indicates to low productivity and high labour Cost
without taking into account the cost of living for the workers. Coal India and its
subsidiary companies still have not integrated their mining systems with the latest
technology. This results in less optimum production in the sector.

5.7 The shortage of coal in the country demands mine development but the tedious
and time-taking regulations act as discouragement.

5.8 The Indian coal sector has recently been a hot topic for every news channel and
print medium because of the manipulations and lack of transparency in coal block
allocations. The government has been accused to allocate the nation‘s coal deposits
wrongfully to the private companies. The allocations were made to influential people
rather than allocating the blocks on the basis of competitive bidding. The corruption
slows down sector growth and delays overall development.
5.9 Working Class movement in Coal Sector is very vibrant. Strong united movement

29
of Coal workers compelled the Government to stall their plan of action on a
number of occasions.
6.1 ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY:
Let us pay attention to the outlook of the Modi Government highlighted in the
Parliament by Com Tapan Sen :
―Privatization and selling out our national assets has become the hallmark of the
present Government‘s policy. And, unfortunately, this policy is being pursued while
chanting nationalistic slogan. I would like to draw the attention of this august House
to another issue which indicates that the Government is not only selling out, but also
indulging in destructive exercise by destroying the manufacturing capability of the
country in respect of Defence production. It is the Government publication which
made public indicates that 75 per cent of all our Defence requirements are being
received through indigenous production. I am quoting from a publication of the
Department of Defence Industry. But, despite that, some disastrous decision is being
taken by the Government. Sir, the Government has decided that out of the total 273
products produced by Ordinance Factories, 182 products are being taken away to be
outsourced by private players and already 200 licences have been given to them. Sir,
this will lead to, at least, seven Ordinance Factories become jobless and another 14
Ordinance Factories become redundant to the tune of 50 per cent of their capacity.
What national interest is being served by destroying our manufacturing capability in
the country? On the other hand, products from the Defence PSUs, which are also
delivering to our armed forces — it is one of the biggest armed forces in the world —
are taken from them and being outsourced through private sector and foreign
company joint venture with no provision of transfer of technology! The Defence
Procurement Policy says that we have to get the cutting edge technology. Publicity
made that all fighter aircrafts would be assembled in India by TATA in collaboration
with Lockheed Martin.
Similarly, the Reliance and Dassault Aviation are making aircrafts. They are doing
only assembling part; there is no technology transfer, which is a disaster. The BEML,
which is a moral to Defence PSUs, is being targetted for outright privatisation.
So, destroying our ordnance factories and destroying our Defence PSUs is thoroughly
anti-national. Unfortunately, the biggest joke of the day is that this is being processed.
6.2 Generation :
Within this period we have noted that a major shift in the trend of Power generation
took place. Since independence of our country entire generating capacity addition
took place under state sector subsequently under Central sector. Private sectors
entered afresh in last decade of previous century. Story of Enron and Dabhol Power
company was known to all section of Power sector engineers and employees.
Invitation of private players in Power sector became costly for the people of India.

30
Horrifying stories of grabbing profit making the Indian consumers nothing but fool.
Corrupt politicians taking part in change of policy reveals one after another what
makes no sense for the common people of our country. List is long. Coal scam, KG
D-6 gas basin scam, Tariff based bidding mechanism for Ultra Mega Power Projects
and coal mines allocation are nothing but tips of the iceberg. The story of COD for
Sasan, Tata and Adani owned UMPP and role of Regularity Commission there is
now unveiled. We know the epic Mahabharata as par Hindu Mythology as a
voluminous book. If one tries to jot down the Scam serial of Private Participation in
energy sector that will be the most voluminous New Mahabharata in the world. The
present report will touch only a few items here under.

6.3 Table on Forecast and Actual

Parameters on Electricity 2014-15 Variation in
Generation and Supply Forecast Actual %
Energy Requirement in MU 1048672 1068923 1.9
Peak Demand in MW 995157 1030785 3.6
Energy Availability in MU 147815 148166 0.2
Peak Demand in MW. 144788 141160 -2.5

Parameters on Electricity 2015-16 Variation in

Generation and Supply %
Forecast Actual 4.3
Energy Requirement in MU 1162423 1144408 5.55
Peak Demand in MW 156862 153366 -2.23
Energy Availability in MU 1138346 1090851 -4.2
Peak Demand in MW. 152754 148463 -2.29

Parameters on Electricity Variation in

Generation and Supply 2016-17 %

Forecast Actual in MU
Energy Requirement in MU 1214642 1142929 -5.1
Peak Demand in MW 165292 159542 -3.48
Energy Availability in MU 1230677 1135334 -7.75
Peak Demand in MW. 171440 156934 -8.47

31
Forecast in respect of peak power demand as well Energy avalablity and
demand has miserably failed. Long claim of Modi Govt. regarding
economic growth has been proved false.
6.4 As on 30th June, 2017 total installed capacity of our country stood on
3,29,230 MW but peak demand in the month was 1,55,573 MW. This situation is
not an exception. Our Government is very much satisfied with economic growth.
But overall Plant Load factor of the country for the first quarter (April-June) of
financial year within a span of one year i.e. 2016 and 2017 has fallen from
60.69% to 57.43%. Ownership wise generating capacity as on 30.06.2017 stands
central (81,622MW) 25%, state (1,03,868MW) 31% and private (1,43,740MW)
44%. Target of Government of India towards privatisation is being materialized
very fast. CEA report reveals that short fall in meeting Energy demand in the
month of June 2016 was - 0.6% has gone to -0.5% in June 2017, while short fall
in meeting peak demand met rose from -0.8% to 01.5%. Evidently question
comes out of 3,29,230MW total installed capacity only 1,55,573 MW (47% only)
maximum was synchronized in the grid. What does it mean? Whether the private
players who became major stake holder in the generating capacity ownership are
being allowed to keep their stations out of bus on their sweet will?

6.5 In the last one and half decades, Govt. plants were not sold to the private. But
new plants are being installed more by the private, less by the state and central
sector old Government units are being back down less bearing state and central
sector.
Modi is biting dtums on growth in economy of the country, but over 50% of
installed capacity remained idle excepting a few peak hours of the day.
6.6 SASAN UMPP
The Ultra Mega Power Project of Sasan was awarded through Competitive
bidding to Reliance Power and the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was
signed with seven procurer States in 2007. The project has six units of 620.4 MW
each, total 3722.4MW, and the levelised tariff over 25 years was 119.6 paisa per
unit. The bid rate, tariff, was about 70 p/unit for first two years and about 120
p/unit for next two years.
The period of commercial operation of project was to start with the commercial
operation of the first unit. As per the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) the unit has
to undergo a performance test prior to declaration of commercial operation. Two
main conditions of performance Test are that unit should run at super critical
parameters of steam pressure and temperature, and that it should run for 72 hours at
above 95% capacity. The first unit ie unit no 3 was put on performance test on 27
March 2013 which concluded on 30 March, 2013. Even though the unit did not
achieve super critical parameters, and could operate at only 16.34% capacity against

32
the required 95%, Reliance declared the unit on commercial operation from 0000
hours of 31 March 2013. The first year of commercial operation was completed in
one day. Thereby the low (infirm Power) tariff of 70 p/unit which was to be
applicable for first year, was practically applied for just one day. In this way the
bid rate of 70 p/ unit which was applicable for two years was practically limited to
just one year and one day.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission decided on 08-08-2014 that
declaration of commercial operation on 31-03-2013 was invalid. Reliance/Sasan
appealed before Appellate Tribunal which ruled in favour of Reliance on 31-03-
2016, holding that the Commercial operation date of 31 March 2013 was valid.
With this ruling the commercial billing rates of Sasan power would be shifted by
one year which gives Reliance Power a benefit of Rs 1050 Crore. As a
consequence additional burden will come on the procurer States as per their %
share, viz Rs 394 Crore(MP), Rs 118 Crore(Delhi), Rs 118 Cr (Haryana),Rs 105
Crore(Rajasthan), Rs 131 Crore (UP), Rs 158 Crore(Punjab) and Rs 26 Crore
(Uttrakhand). With this such huge burden will be passed on to and recovered
from the power consumers of these States.
The judgment dated 31 March 2016 passed by Appellate Tribunal was
challenged in the Supreme Court by each of the procurer States so that the
unjustified burden on power consumers is avoided.
In a setback to Reliance Power, the Supreme Court rejected the commercial
operation date (COD) suggested by the firm for the first unit of its 4,000 MW
Sasan Ultra Mega Power Plant (UMPP). The judgment paved the way for the
project to recover more than Rs 1,050 crore from power procurers.
A bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton F Nariman underlined that the
constitutional court must step in and ―thwart any waiver‖ of contractual
obligations if it was contrary to public interest.
―On the facts of this case, it is clear that the moment electricity tariff gets
affected, the consumer interest comes in and public interest gets affected,‖ said
the bench, adding that the COD, as pressed by the Sasan power was to be
accepted in this case.
The bone of contention in this matter related to the COD, based on which the power tariff
rates were to change. The UMPP had declared the COD of its first unit to be March 31,
2013, on the basis of a certificate obtained from the independent engineer. As Sasan
power was to supply electricity at a very low rate for the first year, accepting March 31,
2013 as the COD had to mean only one day of electricity at that rate.
This was successfully challenged by Western Regional Load Despatch Centre
(WRLDC) before the Central Electricity Regulation Commission, which rejected
the said COD and set the COD as August 16, 2013 based on commissioning of
the plant.

33
By its order in August 2014, the CERC said the COD suggested by the company
could not be accepted as the full load could not be achieved by then, and it
further directed Sasan Power to sell electricity at 70 paisa – instead of Rs 1.19
per unit, which was the quoted tariff for the third year. Sasan Power was
supposed to sell power for the first two financial years at 70 paisa per unit, and
then at for Rs 1.19 per unit.
Reliance Power appealed in the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity (APTEL) against
this order. APTEL found favour with the certificate by the independent engineer
and accepted the COD suggested by the UMPP.
But the Supreme Court, on an appeal against the APTEL order, held that neither the
independent engineer‘s certificate was a conclusive proof nor was the case of waiver
by the procurers in their e-mail exchanges — as put forth by the firm, was tenable in
law as well as under the contract to accept March 31, 2013 as the COD.
―The independent engineer‘s test certificate can pass muster and that there is a
waiver on facts is not a possible conclusion, and such finding is, therefore, perverse
and hence set aside,‖ said the bench as it reinstated the CERC‘s judgment.
Most ridiculous aspect of this legal battle is Reliance Power lodged a defamation
suit against the leadership of AIPEF, who along with the concerned State
Governments sued Reliance‘s dubious act of cheating people of India. This is an
example of shameless and naked attitude of the corporate world. EEFI greeted
AIPEF for their bold step against the cheater no. 1 in the Energy arena of India.
6.7 Kissa Tata Adani ka
With the appellate tribunal for electricity (APTEL) directing the Central Electricity
Regulatory Commission (CERC) to assess the extent of impact of ‗force majeure‘
event on the projects of Adani Power and Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL) and
give them such relief as may be available to them under their respective power
purchase agreements (PPA) signed with the Haryana Power Utilities, electricity
consumers in the state may have to bear the burden of the revised power tariff.
Force majeure is an event which cannot be anticipated by human foresight or if
anticipated is too strong to be controlled. The APTEL‘s order of April 7 also said
the entire exercise should be done within three months. Additional chief secretary
(power) Rajan Gupta, when asked about the state‘s response to the APTEL
judgment, said the department was studying it and a decision whether to
challenge it would be taken subsequently.
Power sector experts, however, say that if Haryana power companies fail to challenge
the APTEL order before the Supreme Court, the CERC will determine the revised tariff in
terms of the force majeure clause of the PPA. ―Consumers will be further burdened as
the revised tariff will be passed in the form of fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA) for the
previous years. Moreover, the power tariff will be in for upward revision as the revised
tariff load will reflect in the annual revenue requirement (ARR) filed

34
by distribution companies before state power regulator,‘‘ said a power sector official.
6.8 Power purchase contracts
Haryana contracted 1,424 megawatt (MW) power from Adani Power in 2007 from its
power project at Mundra in Gujarat. Adani Power‘s bid was based on blend of
domestic and imported coal in the ratio of 70:30. The state also signed power
purchase agreement for 400 MW power from CGPL under ultra mega power project
(UMPP) based on 100% imported coal. Power from M/s Adani was contracted at a
levelised tariff of Rs 2.94 per unit for 25 years at state periphery through its dedicated
network whereas in the case of CGPL, 380 MW of power was contracted at a
levelised tariff of Rs 2.26 per unit also for a period of 25 years.
Both the power companies later sought an increase in the tariff due to change in
Indonesian regulations on coal invoking provisions of force majeure and change
in law in the CERC. The central commission though held that force majeure and
change in law were not applicable in the case, but in February 2014 allowed APL
and CGPL a compensatory tariff of 61 paise and 52 paise respectively to mitigate
their hardship on account of increase in imported coal prices in addition to
allowing arrear payment with effect from date of operation.
Haryana‘s power distribution companies filed an appeal in the APTEL against the
CERC orders, along with a stay application on recovery of compensatory tariff,
but APTEL declined. It decided that arrears for 2012-2013 may not be paid till
final decision but directed the payment of dues thereafter regularly as per the
CERC order. The distribution companies then filed an application in the Supreme
Court which granted a stay in Haryana‘s favour on August 25, 2014 and ordered
APTEL to decide the matter expeditiously.
The APTEL, in its April 7, 2016 order, said: ―We hold that promulgation of
Indonesian regulation has resulted in a force majeure impacting the projects of
Adani Power and CGPL adversely. The generators would, therefore, be entitled
to relief only as available under the power purchase agreements (PPAs).‖
Power officials said after a compensatory tariff of 61 paise and 52 paise was
allowed by the CERC in 2014 for APL and CGPL respectively to mitigate their
hardship on account of increase in the prices of imported coal, the distribution
companies were additionally burdened with an about Rs 1,400 crore annually
and Rs 35,000 crore for 25 years. ―And all this would have to be passed onto the
consumer eventually. Impact of the order is nothing buta similar financial burden
to be passed on to the Consumers,‘‘
On 11th April last Supreme Court negated this favouritism to Tata Power and
Adani Power due to increase in cost of coal imported from Indonesia following
change in Indonesian regulations.

35
6.9 Nuclear Energy and Movement of the Nuclear Energy Workers
At present the electricity produced from Nuclear energy is about 6800 MW which comes
about 2.1% of Total electricity generated in the Country. Nuclear Power Corporation of
India (NPCIL), a Public Sector Enterprises under the administrative control of Department
of Atomic Energy (DAE) with the objectives of operating Atomic Power Plants in the
country and implementing atomic power projects for generation of electricity in pursuance
of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India. At present there are 22
commercial power reactors with an installed capacity of about 6800 MW and 4 reactors
having total capacity of 2800 MW under construction. These reactors comprise Boiling
Water Reactors (BWR) and Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). These 22
reactors are spread of in seven locations in six states of the country such as Rajasthan
(Rawathbhata), Utter Pradesh (Narora), Gujarat (Kakrapara), Maharashtra (Tarapur),
Tamilnadu (Kalpakkam & Koodamkulam) and Karnataka (Kaiga). The 4 reactors under
construction are in Rajasthan and in Gujarat. Another Public Sector Enterprises
(BHAVINI) is also function under DAE with an objective to implement the Fast Breeder
Reactors Programme in the country which is in the final stage of implementation.

The Department is aiming 20,000 MWe of Electricity generations by the year

2020 which is impossible as per the progress of the programme implementation.
By 2020 at the most the installed capacity may 9600 MW if the 4 reactors under
construction is ready for commercial operation. Another 500 MW may add if the
first Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam becomes operation by this period.
After the 123 agreements and Nuclear Liability Bill passed by the Parliament,
Government projecting more Power Generation through Nuclear Energy and
announced various projects at various places with collaborations foreign
collaborations. Proposed Nuclear Power Plants are at Jaitapur (Maharashtra),
Haripur (West Bengal) which may be shifted to some other part of the country,
Koodamkulam (Tamilnadu), Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh) MIthi Virdhi (Gujarat),
Bargi (Madhya Pradesh), Kumhariya (Haryana), etc. None of these Plants are
likely to be start generation of electricity in the next 15 – 20 years as even
acquiring land for the site has not been completed because of various reasons.
The major problems associated with the nuclear power generation are storing
radioactive waste, maintain safety of installations, workers and the common
people, health concern of the employees as risk of genetic disorders, cancer, etc.
threat from target of terrorists attacks.
One more problem developed in the recent past is the out sourcing of the job to
contract workers and contractual system by which the density of all the above
mentioned problems has been increased.
The trade union movement in the Nuclear power sector is not well organized. There are
unions and association of regular employees in all power stations. Also have been
formed unions for contractual works also in certain units. There is no centralized

36
trade union – Federation- to co ordinate the entire movement. In Rawatbhata
(Rajasthan), Kalpakkam and Koodamkulam (Tamilnadu) employees belongs to CITU
are working. The employees union in Kalpakkam CITU members is office bearers
this year. In Rawathbhatta, CITU union lost in the membership verification.
The wages of regular employees are on par with Central Government Employees
based on the recommendations of the Central Pay Commissions. Other negotiations
are under the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) in which representatives of the
recognized unions and associations and Management are participating. The contract
workers unions are controlled by CITU at Rawathbhata and Kalpakkam. Various
state EEFI/CITU has to take initiative for mobilizing the workers of these units and
forming a Federation for employees of all Nuclear Power Plants.
7. Transmission
We reproduce below a few paragraphs from Web Portal of Ministry Power and
brief note of 19th Electric Power Survey published by CEA.
7.1 ―Electricity sector in India is growing at rapid pace. During the current year 2017-
18 (Upto 30.06.2017), the Peak Demand is about 159.8 GW and the Installed
Capacity is 330.2 GW with generation mix of Thermal (66.8%), Hydro (13.5%),
Renewable (17.7%) and Nuclear (2.1%).
Powergrid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Central Transmission
Utilities (CTU), is responsible for planning inter-state transmission system (ISTS).
Similarly there are State Transmission Utilities (STU) (namely State Transco/
SEBs) responsible for the development of Intra StateTransmission System.
6,855 circuit kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines have been commissioned
during 2017-18 (April-June 2017). This is 29.7% of the annual target of 23,086
ckm fixed for 2017-18. Similarly, 23,305 MVA of transformation capacity of
substations has been added during 2017-18 (April-June 2017) which constitutes
43.2% of the annual target of 53,978 MVA fixed for 2017-18.
The capacity of transmission system of 220 kV and above voltage levels, in the
country as on 30th June 2017 was 3,74,706 ckm of transmission lines and
7,64,070 MVA of transformation capacity of Substations.
As on 30th June 2017, the total transmission capacity of the inter-regional links is
76,550 MW.
The transmission lines are operated in accordance with Regulations/standards of
Central Electricity Authority (CEA) / Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
(CERC) / State Electricity Regulatory Commissions(SERC).However, in certain
cases, the loading on transmission lines may have to be restricted keeping in view
the voltage stability, angular stability, loop flows, load flow pattern and grid
security.Power surplus States have been inter-alia, able to supply their surplus power
to power deficit State Utilities across the country except for some congestion in

37
supply of power to Southern Region.
Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO), is managing the
National and Regional grid from National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) and its
five Regional Load DespatchCentres (RLDC) through state-of-the-art unified load
dispatch &communication facilities.‖
7.2 The 19th Electric Power Survey (EPS) Report, covering electricity demand projection
of Distribution Companies, States/UT‘s, Regions and the all-India Electricity demand
projection has been brought out by Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The Report covers
year-wise electricity demand projection for the years 2016-17 to 2026-27 for Discoms,
States/UT‘s, Regions and for the country. The report also covers perspective electricity
demand projection for States/UT‘s, Regions and for the country for the years 2031-32
and 2036-37. The electricity demand projection exercise has been carried out in
association with Distribution Companies (Discoms)/State Electricity
Departments/Transmission Companies (Transcos) of States/UT‘s.
● Methodology of Electricity demand projection Partial End Use Methodology, which is a
combination of time series analysis and end use method has been adopted to forecast
electricity demand for 19th EPS as well. Partial End Use Method is a ―bottom-up‖
approach focusing on end-uses or final energy needs of different categories of
consumers like domestic, commercial, irrigation, industries, railway traction etc.
Various initiatives of Government of India/State Governments like Power for All
(PFA), Demand Side Management (DSM), energy conservation and efficiency
improvement measures, Make in India, penetration of roof-top solar, electric
vehicles etc. have been broadly factored in the electricity demand projection. The
Electric Power Survey Report covers electricity demand projection only for the
utility system. The projections do not include the portion of electricity demand of
Industries and other consumers that would be met from captive power plants.
● Overview of Electricity demand projection • Electricity demand projections from
2016-17 to 2026-27 on all-India basis The electricity consumption on all-India
basis during the year 2016-17, 2021-22 and 2026-27 has been assessed as 921
BU, 1300 BU and 1743 BU respectively. The electrical energy requirement on all-
India basis during the year 2016-17, 2021-22 and 2026-27 has been assessed
as 1160 BU, 1566 BU and 2047 BU respectively. The peak electricity demand
has been estimated as 162 GW during the year 2016-17; 226 GW during 2021-
22 and 299 GW during the year 2026-27.
7.3 We have noted through study of Load Generation Balance Report for 3 years
last that Growth Forecast in respect of Peak Power Demand as well energy
requirement did not match. As a result, we are comfortable in present Transmission
system. But in this area also private transmission system has been allowed.
Question we are to raise how far they will comply the grid disciplines. Profit hunting in
transmission may lead to catastrophe.

38
8. Distribution :
8.1 Distribution :
Any one visiting to the website of Ministry of Power, Government of India will be
impressed with the statistics charts and graphs displayed indicating development
of Power sector in last 3 years. One may conceive that only this Government led
by Narendra Modi has achieved a lot. Previous Governments in our country were
hopeless. Let us examine the situation in depth. The policies of this Government
did not widely vary from Congress led UPA or BJP led NDA Governments. Only
exception is a part of the decisions arrived on the compulsion of common
minimum programme in the interest of getting support from the Left parties in the
Parliament. Government of India withdrew its hands from rural Electrification, as
per Section 6 of Electricity Act, 2003 the responsibility was vested upon
appropriate Government. In UPA-I regime under the pressure of Left parties the
Act was amended and responsibility of rural Electrification was vested upon the
concern State Government and Central Government. Rajib Gandhi Gramin
Vaidyutikaran Yojona was taken up for implementation. Now the name of the
project has been modified in the name of Deen Dayal Upadhyay. Now they
intend to show how NDA and UPA alliances are keen towards Electrification of
villages and households. NDA Government enacted Electricity Act, 2003 wherein
Central Government shook off the responsibility. UPA Government had to take
up the project towards Electrification of balance 1.25 lakh villages and 2.3 crore
households. Up to June 2012 the status was completion of 1,05,314 village
Electrification and household Electrification for 1.99 crore BPL families. On 15th
August 2012 Dr. Monmohan Singh declared that all the villages will be Electrified
by 5 years next i.e. 2017. As on date the target has been shifted to December
2018 i.e. the year before the next Parliament Election.

8.2 Object, Legislation and Action:

In order to make wider entry for the private players, Electricity Act, 2003 had
declared objective of distancing Government from the arena of control and regulation
Electricity business. Generation was delicensed, regulatory regime spread its wings
to make newer scope for the private players. Cost of Electricity was being escalated.
All these steps were to curb the Right to Electricity for the poor people. Dichotomy
between slogans and policy is noteworthy. Electricity for all remained only a slogan,
one after another Government extended the date line over two decades. All the
Governments in centre declared electricity for all citizens of India is their priority but
policy decisions arrived and actions taken were in reverse direction. Electricity
(Supply) Act, 1948 categorized Electricity supply as an essential service for all round
socio economic development of a war stressed, newly independent economically
backward country. Its primary object was rapid electrification up to remotest villages.

39
Earning profit from electricity business was not the driving force of the policy. Clause
6 of Electricity Act, 2003 as passed in the Parliament in June 2003 reads :
8.3 ―Obligation to supply electricity to rural areas: The Appropriate Government
shall endeavour to supply electricity to all areas including villages and hamlets.‖
It is conspicuous that central government withdrew its hands from the
responsibility towards rural electrification. But through the Parliamentary Election
in 2004, highest no. of left MPs entered into Parliament. Some of the anti-people
clauses (6, 61g etc.) were amended. UPA-1 Government became dependent
upon the lefts. Common Minimum Programme assigned priority on Rural
Electrification. Facts thereafter is now known to all.
Constitution of our Federation guides us to promote relations of solidarity with the
peasants and agricultural workers and toiling masses. It will not be out of place to
mention that we have not been able to achieve a considerable progress. Our 7th
National Conference set a target to achieve some progress through wider
activities towards right to Energy for the people of India. On 11th December, 2013
a National Convention on Right to Energy took place at Mavalankar Hall, New
Delhi. Our Federation in association with Petroleum and Gas Workers Federation
of India hosted Asia-Pacific meeting of TUI Energy at Kolkata on 17th December,
2013. In order to achieve cohesive movement all over the country by our
affiliated organization exchange of experience and feedback were sought for
after 7th Conference. We did not have appreciable response.
8.4 Government of India is highlighting its all round achievement in Power
Sector. Of which UDAY (Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana) Scheme for
Operational and Financial Turnaround of Power Distribution Companies
(DISCOMs). The main features of the scheme is mentioned below :
● Compulsory feeder and Distribution Transformer (DT) metering by States
● Consumer Indexing & GIS Mapping of losses
● Upgrade or change transformers, meters etc.
● Smart metering of all consumers consuming above 200 units / month
● Demand Side Management (DSM) which includes energy efficient LED
bulbs, agricultural pumps, fans & air-conditioners and efficient industrial
equipment through PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade)
● Quarterly tariff revision, particularly to offset fuel price increase, to be
permitted
● Comprehensive IEC campaign to check power theft
● Assure increased power supply in areas where the AT&C losses reduce
8.5 None of the above items is found new. For decades together we have planned
and executed the projects like feeder and Distribution Transformer (DT) metering,
Consumer Indexing & GIS Mapping, retrofit for transformers, conductors,

40
replacement of old meters with electronic (smart) meters, Demand Side
Management (DSM), Energy conservation, efficiency rating of equipments by
BEE, combating Power theft and pilferage. Obviously some of the states
implemented the projects with sincerity and devotion. Of course result is positive
where reasonable investment and constant vigil was there. Now the present
Government claims the entire credit as their achievement.
In the foregoing paragraph it is mentioned that all are old wine in new bottle. Only
two things are new. One is compulsion upon the DISCOMs of ―Quarterly tariff
revision, particularly to offset fuel price increase‖ and increase power supply in
areas where the AT&C losses reduce. This is unique as an example of
discrimination among the consumers. Reduction of AT&C loss is directly related
to performance efficiency of distribution utilities. Wherever they will not be able to
achieve, they will be given an authority to penalize the consumers. Does it
commensurate with the fundamental rights of equality of all citizens guaranteed
by the constitution of India? Electricity consumers are having the right to raise
this question. If they don‘t EEFI and its constituents should bear the responsibility
of creating awareness among the consumers.
8.6 UDAY further prescribed, Government of India will adopt following steps to
reduce the cost of power:
● Increased supply of domestic coal;
● Coal linkage rationalization;
● Liberally allowing coal swaps from inefficient plants to efficient plants and
from plants situated away from mines to pithead plants to minimize cost
of Coal transportation;
● Coal price rationalization based on Gross Calorific Value (GCV);
● Correction in Coal grade slippage through re-assessment of each mine;
● Coal India to supply 100% washed coal for G10 grade and above by 1st
October, 2018;
● Supply of 100% crushed coal from Coal India by 1st April 2016;
● Faster completion of transmission lines and adequate transmission by 31st
march 2019, mostly through competitive bidding;
● Allocation of coal linkages to States at notified price, based on which the
State will go for tariff based bidding.
8.7 Out of the above 9 items, first five are in practice for a few decades. Hence, the
prescriptions are not new. Item six to nine is obviously new. But implementation is far
off. Most of the coal based thermal power plants are only receiving huge size of
coals, excavated from coal blocks. Completion of adequate transmission lines
through competitive bidding is not a new story. International Competitive Bidding for
Ultra Mega Power Projects is still vivid in our mind. Age old concept of sanctity of
bidding process has been tarnished by CERC and APTEL in either this or that matter
to protect the interest of private utilities. AIPF and PRAYAS Energy group contested

41
before the Apex Court, the verdict went in favour of Electricity consumers of India.
8.8 UDAY prescribed the two items below for the states :
● Prospective power purchase through transparent competitive bidding by
DISCOMs;
● Improving efficiency of State generating units, for which NTPC would
handhold.
8.9 Again the so called competitive bidding by DISCOMs has been referred to. All the
Power purchase agreement entered by DISCOMs with Sasan and Mundra UMPP
was foiled by CERC. Improvement of efficiency of state generating units has been
referred to. As if people of India and Electricity Employees and Engineers are not
aware, how the state owned generating stations are to keep their units shut or
backed down for days, weeks and months together to enable Tata, Ambani, Adani
and their brotherhood of private generators scope of earning profit.
8.10
● Henceforth, Banks/FIs shall not advance short term debt to DISCOMs
for financing losses.
● Current losses after 1st October 2015, if any, shall be financed only up to the
extent of loss trajectory finalized by MoP with the State, and such financing will
be done through State issued bonds or bonds issued by DISCOMs backed by
State guarantee, to keep borrowing within limits and cost of borrowing low.
● DISCOMs opting for the scheme will comply with the Renewable
Purchase Obligation (RPO) outstanding since 1st April, 2012, within a
period to be decided in consultation with MoP.
8.11 None of the above schemes and prescriptions is new. We have seen SBI
Capital Finance support for repayment of dues by the state utilities as well
incentive thereof. What result yielded by Financial Restructuring Plan, 2012 is
also known to us. Hence, those are need not be further clarified.
Throughout the reform process, people of India were given to understand that
SEBs were inefficient, could not improve their performance. Hence, the SEBs
were unbundled. Corporatisation will improve the efficiency and cost of Power
supply will be reduced. Let us examine the table below to understand the tariff
situation as it was and as it is :
Year Domestic in Commercial Agriculture Industry Average
Paisa in Paisa in Paisa in Paisa in Paisa
2000-01 173.40 340.43 28.48 359.04 212.02
2013-14 407.84 764.00 183.06 625.89 479.84
Source : Power and Energy Division, Government of India.

42
Tariff Position all over the Country :

92-93 2000-01 2007-8 2010-11

Average Cost of supply paise/unit 128.19 303.83 404.01 487.92
Average tariff paise/unit 105.40 212.02 305.12 380.83
8.12 KEY FINDINGS of PFC Discom Ratings
● Cost coverage ratio for most entities (25 out of 41 rated) remained low (0.90)
due to substantial increase in expenses and non-cost reflective tariffs.
● The median Cost Coverage has however improved marginally to 0.87 during
the fifth rating exercise as compared to 0.85 in the fourth rating exercise.
Overall, 23 power distribution entities (out of a total of 41) have shown
improvement in their cost coverage ratios. Out of these, 6 discoms have
shown improvement of more than 10% in their cost coverage ratio. Out of the
14 discoms reporting decline in cost coverage ratio, 3 have shown a decline
of more than 10%. For median calculation, cost coverage for TSECL and
JBVNL assumed unchanged in FY 2016 as data was not available.
● Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh were the best performers on cost
coverages. Four power distribution entities have shown more than 15%
improvement in this parameter and these include Tamil Nadu Generation
and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), Kanpur Electricity
Supply Company Limited (KESCO), Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam
Limited (MVVNL) and Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JdVVNL).
● 26 of the rated power distribution entities have shown an improvement in
their Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) loss levels during FY
2016 (over the previous year). 12 utilities have reported AT&C loss levels
within 15% during 2016 as compared to 10 utilities during 2015.The
median loss level has declined to 22.92% in the current rating exercise
from 24.82% in the fourth rating exercise after coming down from 25.08%
in the third rating exercise, 26.19% in the second rating exercise and
26.55% in the first rating exercise.
● Fourteen utilities have been able to achieve more than 10% reduction in this
parameter and these include Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP
Limited (APEPDCL), Southern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited
(APSPDCL), Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL),
Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), Mangalore Electricity
Supply Company Limited (MESCOM), Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply
Corporation Limited (CESCOM), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company
Limited (BESCOM), Hubli Electricity Supply Company Limited (HESCOM),
Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM), Tamil Nadu
Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), Kanpur

43
 Electricity Supply Company Limited(KESCO), Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran
Nigam Limited (JdVVNL), Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited
(MVVNL) and Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PuVVNL).
● Six utilities including Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL), Southern
Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (TSSPDCL),
Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL), MP Madhya Kshetra
Vidyut Vitran Company Limited (MPMKVVCL), Meghalaya Power Distribution
Corporation Limited (MePDCL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam
Limited (DVVNL) have shown deterioration of more than 10%.
· In terms of regulatory environment, Tariff Orders for FY 2017 for 8 utilities
have not been issued (including states of Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu,
Assam, Jharkhand and Tripura). For the fourth rating exercise, Tariff Orders
were not issued for the states of Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Tripura
while for the states of Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and
West Bengal tariff orders were issued with significant delays. For the third
rating exercise, Tariff Orders were not issued for the states of Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand & Telangana; while for the states of Tamil Nadu,
West Bengal & Rajasthan tariff order were issued with significant delays. For
the second rating exercise Tariff order for FY 2014 were issued for all states
except Maharashtra. During the first rating exercise, Tariff Orders for all the
states for the year FY 2013 had been issued.
● There has been an increase in terms of the number of utilities which have
timely filed tariff petition for FY 2018, with 14 utilities (out of 41) filing the
tariff petition in a timely manner during the current rating exercise. The
corresponding numbers for the fourth, third, second and first rating
exercises were 12, 15, 21 and 7, respectively.
● In terms of availability of audited accounts for FY 2016, 30 out of a total of
41 utilities have submitted audited annual accounts for FY 2016 during
the current rating exercise as against 26 utilities (submission of accounts
for FY 2015) during the fourth annual rating exercise conducted last year.
● Regulatory clarity gradually appearing in the state power sector with
SERCs in place across all 22 states covered by ICRA and CARE.
● Finally, most of the utilities have shown greater cooperation in terms of
submission of information and facilitating meetings and discussions.
8.13 We may carefully note that the key findings over performance of state owned
Discoms covered so many technical and commercial efficiency aspects and reform
parameters but excluded their performance on household electrifications, coverage
of people as electricity consumption benefit as well affordability and reduction of tariff
for the lifeline consumers. One of the important parameter is collection efficiency. But
if the tariff does not commensurate with the paying capacity of the financially

44
backward consumers (who are numerically majority), where from they will pay?
This most important question has been avoided. Another factor should be taken
in to consideration. Nearly three decades of entry of private players in power
sector has been passed why the Government is not going to review their
performance? Present Government of Delhi has requested CAG to take up Audit
of 3 private Discoms in Delhi, all the private owners has moved to court of Law to
put hold upon this Audit.
As per some experts ―Distribution and retail supply is the most critical link in the
Electricity market, which interfaces with the end-customers and provides revenue for
the entire value chain.‖ Estimated number of consumers is 20 crores and connected
load is 4 lakh MW. There are 73 state owned Discoms and 17 private distribution
companies besides 13 Electricity departments and two SEBs. There are utilities
related to generation and transmission with ownership of central, state and private.
Government of India constitute a committee headed by Mr. Dipak Parekh, former
Chairman of IDFC to study Electricity sector in India and suggest for improvements.
We may quote from the report : ―India‘s Power Sector is a leaking bucket; the holes
deliberately crafted and the leaks carefully corrected as economic rents by various
stake holders that control the system.‖ Whatever meant by Mr. Parekh in the body of
the report is not acceptable but the quoted portion may be explained in a befitting
way. Interesting features remained in facts that Electricity, being the most convenient
and user friendly mode of Energy has never been considered as an essential service
for the human society.
Year 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2015-16
AT
&C 36.64 34.9 34.82 33.02 30.62 29.45 27.74 27.15 26.55
Loss

Present AT & C Loss has further comedown around 26.55 %. Cost and revenue
gap has also come down to a considerable extent. But the benefit has not been
passed to the end-consumers in the name of rationalization of cross subsidy.
Huge fund has been invested towards improvement of distribution network,
Energy metering and intensification of the network. It transpires that whatever
corpus have been invested has not gone towards the benefit of end-consumers.
Time is up EEFI and its constituents should concentrate upon those issues.
8.14 Performance of Private Distribution Utilities and franchises
The Odisha power regulator OERC revoked licences of three power distribution
companies controlled by Anil Ambani-led Reliance Energy for disobeying its orders
on improvement in power supply efficiency on 4th March 2015. Revoking the licence,
Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) appointed state-owned Grid
Corporation of Odisha (Gridco‘s) Chairman-cum-Managing Director as administrator

45
of the three discoms NESCO, WESCO & SOUTHCO which transmits power to
northern, eastern and southern areas of the state. Reliance Energy- owned
discoms were cancelled for disobeying of previous orders of OERC on
improvement in power supply efficiency.
The OERC order said the distribution companies have failed to invest in improving
distribution infrastructure. The company was seeking frequent upward revision of
tariff without caring for reduction of aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C)
losses. According to Principal Secretary, Energy, Govt. of Odisha ―The discoms did
not invest anything from their own funds to improve infrastructure, which forced the
Commission to revoke their licence.‖ It may be recalled that in 2005 the state
government had revoked the license of the three discoms, who then challenged it
and moved the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and the Supreme
Court. As performance of the companies never improved, the OERC had lodged a
suo motu case against them along with a show cause notice asking why their licence
should not be revoked. After issuance of order by OERC Gridco has taken over.
Essar group company
The company had filed the application for distribution licence in the area of
Gurgaon Municipal Corporation as per the provision laid under section 14 read
with section 15 of Electricity Act, in the month of March this year.
Essar Projects (India) Ltd had applied for electricity distribution license in the
area of Gurgaon municipal corporation for a period of 25 years.
If the licence had been granted to Essar Projects, it would have been the second
distribution licence holder after state-owned Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam
(DHBVN) for supplying power to energy consumers within municipal limits of
Gurgaon.
Haryana power distribution companies had objected to Essar‘s proposal for
distribution of power, saying that it would leave them with surplus power or
unsold energy.
Gurgaon circle is a very potential area in terms of revenue generation and
consumer load. DHBVN generates almost 50 per cent of its revenue from
Gurgaon circle only out of its total five circles. Gurgoan has power consumer
base of 3.60 lakh with average power load of 700-800 MW.
Pegging the capital outlay on this project at Rs. 1,519 crore, the company in its
application had said that it would set up its own distribution network for supplying
power to the consumers.
The company had kept the cost of power from own generation and purchase at Rs.
5.19 per unit with hike of 3-4 per cent per annum.
8.15 The State Government of Bihar wished to award the franchise to a major
player operating in the metros. But prospective bidders thought otherwise.

46
―Despite repeated extension of the last date of submission of bids, the tender has
not received a single bid so far,‖
In a last ditch attempt to woo bidders, Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd
(BSPHCL) extended the last date for another couple of weeks till mid September.
But, sources in distribution companies suggest the effort is likely to go waste,
unless the State either lowers the reserve price for increasing the power tariff
payable by consumers. The State utility expects the prospective franchisee to
pay a minimum levelised tariff of Rs 4.13 a unit for power purchases (from
BSPHCL). If weighed against the State‘s average billing of Rs 3.40 a unit for
sourcing power from generation utilities, the reserve price is not way off the mark.
Gaya circle was awarded to India power. The franchisee will buy power from the
State utility at Rs 1.69 a unit and is eligible to recover Rs 5.32 a unit from the
final consumer. The low input cost takes care of the revenue risk of the franchise.
ORGANISATION :
9.1 These four years since 7th Conference of our Federation is a period of vibrant
activities in national plain. Our affiliates in some states also took some major
organizational activities in the course of their struggle in the interest of Power workers as
well Electricity consumers. In the national plain, we cannot demand that we have been
able to involve general people to protect or extend their interest as Electricity consumers.
In some states like Haryana, intensive campaign on the interest of protecting consumers
right, people came closure to extend their support in the struggle of the Electricity
workers. In Kerala also such initiative on the part of our organization was noted. We shall
have to keep in our mind that whatever our struggle against the enactment towards
corporatization and privatization, is nothing but pro people struggle. These sorts of
struggle cannot lead to desired victory, without mass support. Hence, independent
movement on the part of our federation or our united platform NCCOEEE must have
extensive involvement of people from different walks of life. We may recall our seventh
conference call on Right to Electricity for People of India. Slogan for which was Right to
Electricity to be declared as Human Right.
9.2 Immediately after our conference we organized National Convention on Right
to Energy on 11th December, 2013 to focus the demand of integrated and
perspective National Energy Policy. Our decision to expand the campaign, all
over the country was not fully reciprocated. But the issue raised by us was
proved timely and appropriate. Government of India in the intervening period
drafted Electricity (Amendment) Bill. The same was tabled in the Parliament in
December 2014 i.e. within one year of the Right to Energy Convention we
organized. The resolution adopted by the convention is annexed here to enable
our delegates to use the same as a tool for their campaign. (ANNEXURE)
9.3 In the intervening period, we have put effort to extend our organization in the
states of Odisha, Maharastra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka & Madhya

47
Pradesh. On the part of CITU reciprocation is there but most notable effort was in
Odisha & Karnataka. A good nos. of Electricity workers has come closer to us but
formal affiliation did not materialize to a satisfactory extent. In some states, Electricity
workers have been unionized and ideologically closer to us but their activity is limited
within their state / utility concerned. A status report is placed here under:
9.4 In Himachal Pradesh, HPSEB Employees Union is associated with our
organization for a long since. They resolved in their last conference to be
affiliated to EEFI but formalities have not yet been completed. On 16th July last
General Secretary met the Office Bearers of the union at Shimla. The meeting
was a fruitful one. Most unique feature in Himachal Pradesh is that, this union is
the only functioning union of all the Electricity workers of the state. Out of 22,000
all categories of employees including engineers and officers, 16,000 workers and
employees belong to this union. President & General Secretary of the union are
very popular among the workers all over the state. They are attending our
conference still as Observer, pending formal affiliation. General Secretary of the
union had been permanent invitee in our Working Committee. EEFI is eager to
have this union affiliated by the earliest possible time.
9.5 Maharastra : Only union affiliated to EEFI is so far Ratnagiri Gas Power Station.
Besides this union in Maharastra there are some other unions also organized by
CITU Maharastra. Those are from Chandrapur, Dahanu, Nagpur and Jalgaon.
President and General Secretary, EEFI visited Mumbai on 24th June, 2017 to discuss
with the leadership of this union. Unfortunately, only a skeleton meeting took place
due to some local problems. In Mumbai city the Power distribution network is divided
between BEST, Tata and BSES. In BSES part, one union functions with leadership
closer to us. We are to explore to get this unions affiliated to EEFI.
9.6 Odisha: Odisha Bijuli Karmachari Union is one of our oldest union. Union was
mostly vibrant is Southern part of the state. A communication gap cropped up since
2/3 years last. On 10 April, 2016 a state convention took place at Bhubaneswar with
joint initiative of 16 Electricity unions of the state assembled with initiative CITU
Odisha State Committee. Most of the unions with membership from different part of
the state expressed their intention to be affiliated to EEFI. Western Odisha Bijuli
Karmi Mahasangh with membership of 4200 has obtained formal affiliation. Their
leadership has been co-opted in EEFI Officer Bearer and Working Committee. A
good number of unions are expected to be affiliated to EEFI, if leadership from
Sambalpur and Berhampur become active to co-ordinate with all those 14 unions.
9.7 Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh is one of the major Energy hub of India covering large
Thermal Power Stations and huge number of coal mines. Still the nerve centre is Korba.
The Balco Union and S P Mukherjee TPH Thika Mazdoor union is formally affiliated to
EEFI. Now Chhisgarh Shramik Ekta Sangh with 3000 membership, NTPC Korba, Lanco
Amarkantak and Sipat non Executive Union each having around 100 membership has
sought for affiliation. One of our union activist, a contractor worker

48
in S P Mukherjee TPH was unlawfully removed from job. Major point behind was
his union activity. Our leadership there with the help of CITU fought the struggle
to keep the union intact. On 9th June they organized a convention comprising all
the 6th unions. Comrade Subhas Lamba, Com. Kanchan Mukherjee and Com.
Tarun Bharadwaj took part.
9.8 Jharkhand: Besides DVC Shramik Union and DVC Contractor Workers Union,
we don‘t have other unions affiliated or associated to EEFI there. But there are a few
unions of contractor workers in Power Stations, who are ideologically closer to us. In
absence of support from the state leadership EEFI can‘t involve these workers in the
national movement of Electricity Industry. In distribution network our union could not
be developed in Jharkhand. However, we have requested state CITU leadership to
send at least one observer from each of the unions there.
9.9 Madhya Pradesh: As mentioned earlier regarding Korba, another Energy
hub is the border adjacent area of UP and Madhya Pradesh. Anpara, Shakti
Nagar and Vindhyachal area housed lots of super power stations. Trade union
activity among coal workers is vibrant there but most of the power stations
existence of unions is there. A joint meeting was held in Shaktinagar on 4 th June
with involvement of all the unions of Coal and Electricity in the locality. National
and State leadership of CITU, Coal and Electricity took part. It was resolved that
coordinated approach to consolidate the strength of the unions will be thrust
upon. Similar meeting will take place in regular interval with the leadership of
both the states and regional unions. Madhya Pradesh CITU leadership is keeping
close contact with some of the Electricity distribution union of the area, who are
not yet affiliated to any national level organization.
9.10 Uttar Pradesh : The state is a vast one but our union is having membership
strength of only 1200. This membership is spread in Anpara, Kanpur and Aligarh.
General Secretary and Com Subhas Lamba from EEFI centre had a meeting with
CITU state leadership and our Electricity union leaders at Lucknw. It was
revealed that ample scope is there but unless we concentrate with our more
sincere approach, we shall not be able to advance further. Action plan was also
developed but still yield is awaited.
9.11 Rajasthan : Workers from Rajasthan union take part in the programme of
EEFI or NCCOEEE at Delhi. But union is not being expanded. There are some
potential areas in the state. Some young and energetic leadership are also there.
They are not having enough exposure on TU movement. If CITU leadership
concentrate upon electricity, effort will not be futile. EEFI northern region is not
too weak to extend co-operation. Our Haryana and Punjab union, if sought for
will extend their co-operation to meet the Electricity workers in different parts of
Rajasthan including Power stations, where we are having minimum foot hold.
9.12 Central Sector: EEFI is having unions from State, Central and Private Power

49
utilities. All the unions bigger or smaller are showing interest to take part in the
National Level activities of Power sector workers movement. Besides one each of
Power grid unions in ER, SR all the unions of Central Sector Power utilities are
showing apathy to take part in the National Level Activities. Nowadays trade unions
use to intervene in the process of policy making. In order to acquire the capability to
understand Energy policy, modification and implication thereof, close touch with
updated technology and methodical study is very much essential. So far, Power
sector is concerned policy formulation is dependent upon experience of the Power
utilities. Workers of Central Power Utilities are having the scope of exposure to policy
formulation and advancement of technology. If the workers of Central Power Utilities
are totally bogged up with their wage settlement, pay and allowances with money
making in various forms, who else are there to stand for the cause of people? NTPC
unions neither take part in the EEFI activities nor they pay the affiliation dues to
EEFI. Situation is so so to NHPC and other Power grid unions. As most of them will
not be attending this conference, this paragraph is kept as record.
9.13 North-East: Besides our traditional unions in Assam and Tripura we could not
expand. We developed one NHPC union in Sikkim, nourishment responsibility is yet
to be assigned. Our Assam leaders try to keep in touch with one of the NEEPCO
Union. NEEPCO union leadreship is attending this conference after a long gap .
9.14 Chandigarh, J&K : Our unions in this states are smaller but their participation in
movement is regular and praise worthy. Our J&K union are working amidst so many
constraints even their membership strength is going higher.
9.15 Discussion on the organizational weak points have been placed in the
foregoing paragraphs. Our major unions are meticulous on their duties and
responsibilities in the arena of their organization, state and national activities. But
one of the common weak point for all is timely reporting of activities. We have
dealt the same in the following paragraph.
9.16 Inter-Organisation Communication : Our major weakness.
The major constraint in the health of our organization is weakness in communication
with the EEFI centre. All the major organizations of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West
Bengal, Haryana, Punjab and Tripura are continuing with vibrant activities in their
respective functional area. Obviously that indicates the potentiality and efficiency of
the organization in its totality. This is valid for the state concerned. But all the major
constituents of any national federation should keep in their mind that all fruitful
activities are part of nationwide activities for the industry concerned. Achievement of
any state unit of EEFI should be propagated to other states so that experience and
success story enriches their counter parts in other states. Our KSEB Workers
Association achieved a very good wage settlement. The agreement signed in Kerala
was circulated all over the country. Our leaders of others states referred to it in the
course of their bargaining process. Our Haryana Union, being the major organization

50
of the state formed a joint platform to protect the interest of the workers (including
contract/casual workers) as well consumers of the state. They had wider
campaign among the people of the state and was successful to convince the
people that the privatization plan of the Government will harm the interest. The
BJP Government preferred a confrontation with the joint forum of the Electricity
Workers. 7430 nos. of contractor workers were placed out of employment. The
unity and firm stand of the joint forum in the path of struggle compelled the
Government to come to an amicable settlement. The Chief Minister of Haryana
over viewing the situation came forward to discuss. All the workers including
contract and casual workers honourably resumed their service. Reward of the
contract and casual workers through the struggle was wage enhancement
around Rs. 2000 per month. As EEFI Centre was kept updated by the state
leadership, almost all the unions affiliated to or associated with EEFI pressed the
Haryana Chief Minister through Fax/E-mail to resolve the dispute amicably.
9.17 But these are not the story for all the EEFI constituents. In some states vibrant
activities are there. Major role is played by our union either independently or jointly.
Positive outcome of struggle are also there but due to weakness in communication
none of the struggle or achievement is conveyed to their counterparts all over the
country. Present day world is a closer society than it was three decades ago. Smaller
unions apart, we may confine our discussion among the major unions, who are
having the capacity to publish a monthly organ of their own in the local language. In
almost all the Working Committee Meeting they were requested to translate one of
the published article on concurrent struggle in English / Hindi for publication in EEFI
organ Voice of Electricity Workers. The request is being continually refuted. The
delegates of the conference should be enlightened by the major organizations, at
least who are representing in the Office Bearers of EEFI, what is the reason behind
this weakness.
9.18 EEFI had its 7th Conference in 10 -12 August, 2013 at Kanchipuram,
Tamilnadu. 48 nos. of affiliated and associated organizations from 20 states took
part in this conference. Since 6th conference of our federation, we achieved
expansion into six new states and exploring to enter into 3 / 4 other states. Our
weaker zone is western part of India. We solicit CITU co-operation from states
like Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Gujarath. CITU unions are
there in central power sector utilities, but barring 2 / 3 unions all are found very
much reluctant to national movement of power sector workers and employees.
One other weaker arena is private sector power utilities. However, we are the
most vibrant National Federation of Electricity Workers.
9.19 Our affiliated organizations in different states gloriously take part in the mass
movement hand in hand with left force. Participation of power sector workers in
last strikes was commendable, while Kerala took lead with participation of +97%

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 including officers and Engineers. Workers‘ participation in Tamilnadu, West
Bengal, Harayana, Punjab & A.P in strike lead to considerable loss of
Genreation due to strike.
9.20 In last Parliamentary election also EEFI constituents of Kerala, West
Bengal, Tamilnadu, Tripura, Haryana, Punjab & AP took part in the Election
battle with financial, physical campaign and mobilization as per local
situation. They have published campaign material of their own to draw
attention of the people against neo-liberal policies and onslaughts of
reactionary political forces ruling in the centre and different states. Those
reflected the falsification of Congress and BJP governments so far availability
of Electricity to all households since decades, while their actual aim is to
make electricity as a marketable commodity. Those who don‘t have capacity
to pay as per the demand of market forces will not have access of electricity.
As a result 40% of people of India don‘t have access of Electricity.
9.21 As per constitution of EEFI all the organisation irrespective of their membership
strength will have one member in the working committee. Larger union will have
more no. of members. In every conferrence there are burganing for more
members in the working committee. Annexure No.- shows a Table of attendence.
There are some Members who never attendent any meeting.
9.22 Fund Position
EEFI‘s role is applauded by the well wishers and critics as well. EEFI is
undoubtedly most vibrant National level organisation of Electricity Workers and
Employees. But Fund positions do not commensurate with its stature. 7th
Conference decided that after wage settlement of respective power utility, only
5% of first month‘s enhancement of pay will be donated to EEFI. Situation after
four years transpire that only Kerala, Tripura and part of Tamil Nadu had wage
increase between these four years. Sometimes our balance fell below Rs. 2
Lakhs. Kerala organisations of both Workers and Officers contributed above their
allocation and that is why our Bank Balance did not fall to zero. Since 1984,
when EEFI was founded our earning has gone up through hard struggle to the
tune of 20 to 30 times. Affiliation Fee was raised from Re 1 to Rs 3 only
throughout four decades. We considered on reasonable enhancement but in
view of difficulties of some Contractor‘s Workers organisations, we did not go
ahead. Some other facts are also their regarding suppression of strength.Some
unions with enough resourses are in the habbit of irregular payment of affiliation
dues. This habbit should be evaded.
9.23 P R Bhawan Fund
Comrade P Ramamurthy was a stalwart leader of Indian Trade Union movement.
He was the founder General Secretary of CITU. A Trade Union School and
Research Centre is being set up by CITU in his name. Our Federation was

52
 offered an office space of around 40 SQM on cost sharing basis. As decided
in 6th Conference, EEFI called for one time donation towards the cost of
construction@ Rs. 25 par member. We contributed Rs. 25 Lakhs. The
Building is nearing completion. Cost of Construction has gone over double of
the estimate. We need further money to cope with the cost. State of the Art
equipment and Furniture will also be required for this new office at a coveted
area of south Delhi. EEFI Working Committee in its meeting held on 19th
October, 2016 decided to approach EEFI members to contribute @ Rs. 25
special donation the union of the contractor workers were excluded from this
donation. KSEBWA, KSEBOA has paid more than the allocated amount and
COTEE has also paid its first part. Those organisations has not paid are to
pay this contribution by the earliest possible time.
9.24 EEFI National Centre Office : We have discussed a few of our weakness in the
foregoing paragraphs. We must have to admit that we are to strengthen our
office at Delhi. In the last one year there are some changes in the manning
pattern due to better scope of employment of our Office Assistants concerned.
We are to be further prompt in action as situation demands. We are to explore
some experienced person from Delhi region with background of Electricity
Workers movement to extend support in the functioning of our central office.
10. STRUGGLE
10.1 The period between 7th & 8th Conference had different phases of movement all
over the country. EEFI Constituents took part in the United National Level
Movement at the behest of central trade unions in one hand and independent
activities on the other hand. There were different demands related to common
people for the National Level Struggle of strike on 2nd September, 2015 & 2016.
In order to involve the Electricity Workers en mass in these struggle all major
EEFI Constituents made wider campaign to propagate the demands of the strike.
Participation in the strike varied state to state, highest was in Kerala. More than
90% of Electricity Workers, Officers & Engineers took part in the strike in various
form. In order to activate all the Electricity Workers, Employees & Engineers
beyond the periphery of CITU / EEFI the issues of the strikes were discussed in
the national forum of NCCOEEE. Joint declaration with appeal before all the
Electricity workers & engineers to take part / extend support to strike was issued.
Besides the common demand for the people of the country, EEFI use to
move to protect the Electricity related interest of people. In the intervening
period the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 prepared in the UPA-II regime,
the NDA Government hurriedly moved the Bill before the Parliament.
10.2. Amendments in Electricity Act 2003
Ministry of Power, Government of India had proposed amendments in Electricity

53
Act 2003. The proposed amendments are aimed to carry forward the neo-liberal
reforms getting implemented in this sector in a rigorous way rather than improving
the performance of the sector. There are certain major changes such as separating
carriage and content in distribution by introducing supply as a separate function,
making Natinal electricity policy, Tariff policy and other policy initiatives of central
Government as mandatory in functioning of regulators including SERCs, diluting the
powers of State Governments in issuing policy directions to regulatory commissions
and generators as well as appointment of members of SERC etc.
Theme of this amendment is to separate the wire business and other activities
like billing and collection. New segment named ‗supply licensee‘ was introduced
in power sector in addition to existing generation, transmission, distribution and
trading licensees. The amendment envisages one wire company (entrusted with
all the physical infrastructure such as substations, wires and meters), along with
multiple suppliers wheeling electricity over this common grid infrastructure
offering power to consumers.
No enhancement of the efficiency of the existing distribution system is envisaged by
the proposed amendments. Also the consumer cannot expect any cost or quality
advantage in the power and the services. Rather he will only be put to troubles.
The scope of control of state Governments in power sector is getting curtailed.
National Electricity Policy and tariff policy are mandatory now as per sections
3(a), 61, 62, 79 and 86 of the proposed amendment. This leaves little room for
state Government to give policy directions to SERC as per section 108 of the Act
for protecting the interests of people. State will not have any voice in the
determination of tariff also. Section 61 says that the Central Government may
direct the principles and methodologies specified by the Central Commission as it
considers appropriate to be followed by the Appropriate State Commissions for
determination of tariff. These amendments are a clear encroachment over the
privileges of the State and a real threat to the federal system.
Supply licensee do not own any power system assets. His only business is to
purchase power, arrange open access, sell it to the consumers and collect money.
Cross subsidy available to poorer section of the society will be eliminated as
SERC should have a road map for timebound reduction of cross subsidies as per
section 86 of the amendment.
Section 66 directs regulatory commissions to promote forward marketing in
addition to trading. This will increase speculative trading of power and ultimate
result would be the escalation of retail power tariff.
Distribution of electricity as a distribution licensee supply electricity as a supply
licensee.
Now commissions can grant unlimited number of supply license within the same
area of supply.

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No License required for franchisees. A distribution licensee or a supply licensee
proposes to undertake the supply of electricity for a specified area within his area
of supply, through another person as a Franchisee, that person shall not be
required to obtain any separate license from the concerned State Commission
and such distribution licensee or supply licensee shall be responsible for supply
of electricity in his area of supply.
The proposed amendment of Electricity Act will lead to split of electricity business
into multiple layers. Carriage and content will be two separate parts of business.
One will undertake wire business and others will supply electricity using same
wire. There will be multiple distribution agency and supplier in a same area.
Business deal will be transferred in the hands of so many middlemen. All will
pursue behind high end consumers. As a result consumers of lower economic
groups will be debarred from the benefit of cross subsidy.
Electricity is in concurrent list of the Constitution of India but with this amendment
State Govts‘ will be eliminated from the process of decision making like formation
of Regulatory Commission in the state or granting concession to any category of
consumers, upon the requirement of the concerned state.
10.3 Struggle on Policy issues.
National level Forum of Electricity Employees and Engineers formed through joint
initiative of almost all the National Federations of Electricity Workers and Engineers
in 2000 at Jaipur. Forefront leaders were Com E Balanandan and Com A B Bardhan.
Com Balanandan passed away in 2009. Com Bardhan continued his role as
guardian of NCCOEEE till 2016. All constituents in the National forum of NCCOEEE
are functioning in full spirit and dynamicity since inception of National Co-ordination
Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE).
Whenever the intricacies of Government of India Plan towards drafting Electricity
(Amendment), Bill came to light NCCOEEE leadership sat together and decided to
oppose it with fullest strength. Mass demonstration from Delhi, State capitals and down
the below places up to major power installations took place. On 12 th December, 2014, a
March to Parliament was organized. Memorandum submitted to Union Power Minister
was not at all paid any heed to. In short, Minister, in the course of discussion threw a
challenge to NCCOEEE leadership to move as deemed fit and Govt. will go ahead. The
draft was hurriedly submitted in Loksabha as Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 on 19th
December. The Bill was sent to Parliamentary Standing Committee. EEFI and a few other
NCCOEEE constituents submitted objections. But none of the organizations of
employees was heard by the Standing Committee, while due hearing was given to
Business Community. They welcome the new Avenues of Business in Power sector
without investment. 19 State Governments objected to various clauses of the Bill.
Regional and State level Conventions, demonstrations, various campaigns continued
throughout the year, 2015. NCCOEEE decided to oppose in a befitting

55
way including one day Strike. Date fixed was 8th December.
Meanwhile, the information of next power ministers‘ conference at Kochi, Kerala
in the first week of November 2015 came to EEFI state leadership during early
October 2015. In the backdrop of central government placing the Electricity
(Amendment) Bill, 2014 before Parliament and around 18 State Governments
already opposing the proposal, the conference to be attended by Central and
State Ministers along with senior officials from the power sector across the
country, offered a great opportunity to showcase the protest of electricity
employees against the disastrous reforms initiated through the bill.
To snatch the opportunity, the strength of social media to effectively communicated
and generated opinions was used for the first time by EEFI. The information on the
conference and the proposal on holding the massive protest rally towards the
conference venue was shared in the newly created Watsapp group of EEFI leaders.
As expected, the proposal was enthusiastically welcomed by EEFI leaders from all
over the country and the proposal was taken up with NCCOEE leadership. A
convergence of opinion could be achieved in a very short period and it was decided
to organise a massive rally towards the venue on the opening day of the conference,
i.e, on 6th November 2015. Initially there was ambiguity on the venue of conference
as preparatory works was going on at two venues. However, soon it emerged that
the conference venue will be the historic Bolgatty Palace, oldest Dutch palace
outside Holland, now functioning under the control of KTDC, a state government
enterprise. Despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges, the leadership of all
organisations under the NCCOEEE banner could come together to fight against the
challenge posed by central government in the form of Electricity (Amendment) Bill.
Within a very short span of two weeks the campaign reached to enthuse every
electricity employee as well as touched every nook and corner of the State. Posters
and banners came up in all localities and leaflets were distributed among all
employees. Gate level meetings were jointly convened at each and every offices to
explain the cause of the agitation. The response from the electricity employees was
tremendous with huge mobilisation becoming a reality in all parts of the State.
An organising committee was formed at Kochi to ensure smooth conduct of the rally
as well as to make arrangements for receiving leaders and volunteers coming from
all over the country. Com LR Sreekumar (KSEB Workers Association) and Com
Mohammed Kasim (KSEB Officers Association) functioned in close coordination on
behalf of the organising committee and ensured that every effort is made to receive
volunteers and provide for their comfort. Since large contingent of volunteers were
coming from Tamil Nadu, arrangements were made en route to take care of their
needs. Special attention was taken for the campaigning at Kochi so that the
participants of the Power Ministers Conference get a real feeling of the agitation
going on against the Bill. Thus, posters, banners, hoardings, placards etc were
designed in both English and Hindi and special care was taken to cover the entire

56
long stretch from Airport to the conference venue as well as the venue where
accommodation was arranged for the officials.
A press conference was arranged on 3rd November to brief media as well as to
invite them to cover the rally on 6th November. The media was supportive and
the event was given wide publicity in the State as well as in the National media.
The all out efforts to mobilise electricity employees to the tune of 20,000 for the
protest rally and the all encompassing campaigning has forced the central
government to acknowledge the protest to the extent that the Minister of State for
Power, Sri Piyush Goyal was forced to mention about the agitation in his opening
speech of the conference as well as during his press briefing. The rally got
National attention with Minister for Power, Government of Tripura addressing the
protest rally. The Labour Ministry has to arrange a reconciliation meeting on the
day before and Sri Piyush Goyal has to invite the leaders of NCCOEEE
immediately after the commencement of the rally.
In short, the huge mobilisation at Kochi has energised the electricity employees
in their all out fight against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and the Government
was forced to take note of the agitation and take measures to address the
concerns. The success of the rally shall provide great impetus for the National
agitation against the disastrous reforms in electricity sector.
An hour long meeting with Power Minister held in congenial atmosphere and he
agreed to continue exchange of views. Strike call on 8th December was
withdrawn. Subsequently, meetings were held at Delhi. In the course of
discussion Minister commented that some of the points of objection like splitting
carriage and content will be taken into consideration.
11. Publication

11.1 Voice :
Our quarterly organ Voice of Electricity Workers could not be published in every quarter.
In practice, in the year 2017 we could not publish any issue of our organ. This is a very
serious weakness on the part of the organization, very specifically EEFI centre. We
should analyze the reason behind and avenues to overcome the weakness and put hold
upon recurrence of these short comings. In the paragraph above, on inter-organisation
communication we have explained one of our shortcomings. The matter does not relate
to fault finding or shaking off the responsibility. We must not show fingers to any of the
organization by name. We are to admit self critically that this fault is almost epidemic
excepting only one state, by name Haryana. All the pages of an organ of industrial
federation like ours may be filled in with various activities related to technology, relevant
news from the commercial media as well theoretical contribution of the scholars in the
field. If similar path is followed, the organ will give up its basic character of VOICE OF
ELECTRICITY WORKERS. In order to keep the quality of the organ, we are duty bound
to publish

57
the articles related to struggle of the workers and achievements thereof.
In order to draw attention of delegates of 8th Conference are drawn to paragraph
5.2 of report of 7th Conference of EEFI held four years back.
11.2 Our constituents of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal publish their
own organ in local languages with regularity. First 3 states are having monthly
publication. We must be self critical to mention here that our comrades of those
states requested to translate one of the important published Article / News in English
or Hindi and transmit those to EEFI national centre for publication in Voice. But our
Comrades have passively declined to comply the request with sweet smiles. We
requested our major unions to nominate 1 / 2 Comrades to assign the responsibility
of reporter for Voice. All major activities and achievements of the concerned
organization are to be reported by them for publication in Voice. We did not have any
encouraging outcome yet. Therefore the matter is referred to the highest level of this
8th conference. It is proposed that the names of the reporters to be given to the
steering committee of this conference. So that assignments can be declared
from the floor of the conference. It is expected that our comrades will
discharge the responsibility of giving Report inputs from their states to EEFI
Team for Voice
What is extremely required to convert of our organ as a weapon for class
struggle as explained by Comrade V I Lenin, organ should not be a medium of
campaign, it should play role of organizer also. If the weapon is not sharpened in
frequent interval, it becomes unusable. Hence, we must have to get it done. Let
us put effort to that direction, so that in the 9th Conference our shortcomings are
fully covered. Suggestions placed below for your consideration:
11.3 EEFI Web site : We had to change URL for our website from eefi.org to eefi
centre.org due to some technical reasons. New website has been developed but
status of updating and content improvisation is not in appreciable standard. We are
to dedicate a team for this job. At the present time a good number of our members
are having the habit of internet browsing. Out of the topics they take interest one
should be Energy related sites. Though we use to deal in Electricity but Coal, Oil,
Gas, Nuclear and Renewable sources should also be taken as a matter of prime
interest. In the course of discussion regarding Voice, our weakness related to
reporting has been catered. Report published in Voice is delayed due to obvious
reason. Team proposed for updating of Voice is to be comprised of members
nominated by our major organizations. They will be allowed access to update the
Voice including posting of photographs of the activities related to organization,
struggle and important events of the utility concerned. Linking with news sites, for
important news related to Energy will enable us to be updated through our website.

12. Major EEFI activities of last four years :

The 7th National conference of the Federation had detailed deliberation with its

58
presented report and arrived at conclusion detailed below. Conference chalked
out comprehensive Charter of Demands, future course of actions to settle the
demands along with all round activities, campaign & struggle related to aims and
objects of the Federation.
EEFI acction plan of 7th Conference and review there of :
12.1Electricity Act, 2003 should be further reviewed towards amendment of the
Clauses not commensurating federal structure of union of India. RIGHT TO
ELECTRICITY for people of India to be declared as HUMAN RIGHT.
Performance of electricity utilities is to be reviewed in the light of tariff structure,
consumer benefit, loss reduction and poor people‘s access to electricity.
The decision of the conference was taken up for implementation with right
earnestness. A National convention on Right to Energy was convened at
Delhi on 11th December, 2013. Resolution adopted in the convention is
annexed No.15 with this report. Attitude of the Government is to curb the right
of the people in many ways. All the schemes developed and implemented are
based on extorting more and more money in the form of tariff escalation. Our
independent and united struggle against Electricity (Amendment), Bill 2014
was in the same cause. How far we have been able to penetrate among the
people should be reviewed in this conference.
12.2 We shall demand introduction of Bipartite Collective Bargaining Mechanism
for negotiating Long Term Settlement (LTS) as per current system in vogue
for power workers in some states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab; as also in
all Central Power Utilities with 3 years periodicity of revising pay, perks,
facilities, various social security and welfare measures for workers engaged
in the work of power generation, transmission, distribution and all other allied
activities in all enterprises in Power Sector of the country.
a) Standing Tripartite National Wage Fixing Mechanism for Power Workers
(who are not covered under LTS concluded through collective bargaining)
must be put in by the Central Government.
b) Contract / Casual Workers in Power Industries must be paid the similar
wages, benefits and facilities of equivalent category of regular workmen in
Power Sector till complete abolition of contract workers engaged in
permanent and perennial nature of jobs. Power Sector Workers Wage
standard should be specified in the Schedule of Industries.

In practice Item 2a) has not been seriously pursued by our constituents. In Central
and Some states utilities system is in vogue. Most of our Unions have not placed the
demand towards democratic election for creation of bargaining council. This
conference once again impresses all its constituents to press the demand to the
respective authorities (i.e. management and Labour department as ratification of ILO
convention 87 and 98 is one of the pressing demand of united Trade Union

59
movement of the country.
Item 2b) of our Charter of Demand has obtained new dimension. In order to achieve
our demands towards total hold upon exploitative contract system was taken up by
most of our constituents very seriously in their agenda of campaign and struggle. As
decided by EEFI Working Committee from its meeting held on 23 rd July, 2016 that
series of campaign will be planned with the target of converting campaign into
agitation towards culminating END CONTRACTORISATION DAY ON 25TH
OCTOBER, 2016. All EEFI affiliates and associates submitted Memorandum to the
head of utilities. As a matter of fact and coincidence that on the day next i.e 26 th
October, 2016 Hon‘ble Supreme Court passed an order in a long pending case to
direct the employers as well Government to implement the ―EQUAL WAGE FOR
EQUAL WORK‖ direction of Constitution of India as well existing Labour Laws. Off
course, our struggle has obtained support of Apex Court. But we also understand
that employers will not easily accept this direction, as they have so long defied the
conditions of License issued within the provisions of the Contract Labour (Regulation
and Abolition Act), 1970 and rules thereof.
On the part of EEFI Centre, full Text of the 102 Page Apex Court order was collected
and copy was circulated to all organisations, Office Bearers and Working Committee
members of EEFI par e-mail on 29th October with guidance as follows:
“You have noted through Press News the Supreme Court Judgement Dated
26/10/ 2016 on Civil Appeal No. 213 of 2013 in the matter of State of Punjab &
others Vs. Jagjit Singh & Others. Hon’ble Jagdish Singh Khehar, J and Hon’ble S
A Bobde, J has passed a mandatory order upon the employers towards payment
of Equal Pay for Equal Work to all the Casual / Contractual / Temporary workers.
Equal word has been amply clarified and stressed that Eqaul means equal to
regular employees of the employer concerned. In order to dispel the bureaucratic
ambiguity Apex Court has prescribed that at least lowest Scale of Pay should be
paid to all these categories of workers.
Copy of the voluminous 102 Page order is attached hereto for your perusal and
submission of memorandum enclosing the copy of the order to heads of all
power utilities, wherever there are contract / casual / temporary workers.
You might have noted that EEFI observed END CONTRACTORISATION DAY
ON 25th October. Incidentally the Supreme Court Order has been issued next
day.We shall have to translate in into reality. Contract System in regular job must
end if the employers are to pay equal pay for all the workers.
All our organisations and their lower level units will submit the memorandum
addressed to the head of the power utility through local officers. State level
memorandum should be submitted by 4th November to create immense pressure
to the Power Companies.”
We are informed that a few of our organisations were prompt enough to submit the

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demand on EQUAL WAGE FOR EQUAL WORK on the backdrop of Supreme
Court Judgment but copies has not been endorsed to EEFI Centre.
In the course of advancing the movement, EEFI organised a National Convention on
EQUAL WAGE FOR EQUAL WORK at Delhi on 27th April. On the same day, en EEFI
delegation led by Com Tapan Sen, MP met Labour Secretary, Government of India
and handed over a memorandum addressed to Labour Minister along with a copy of
the adopted Resolution. Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) has started
conciliation upon the dispute. First meeting was held on 23rd May in his office
chamber. All Central sector Power Utilities has been asked to submit detailed report
on compliance by CPSUs, status of Contract workers with List of Contractors, Nos. of
workers engaged by them with nature and category of jobs assigned to them, Rate of
wages and benefits for the contract workers and Nos. of regular Workers of each and
every establishments of the Central Power Utilities. The next conciliation meeting
was decided after one month but not yet scheduled. We have sent reminder.
Standard for operation and maintenance of electricity generation, transmission
and distribution installations to be ensured for safety of man and machine as well
reliable supply with Zero interruption for all the citizens and public utility services.
We are to go a long away to achieve this demand. Still around 30
Crores of our countrymen do not have access to electricity. Our
demand is related to Quality Power. Where electricity is not at all
available question of quality Power does not arise. But the demand is
a just one. We are to keep on campaign for public awareness. This
should be a bridge between Power workers and power consumers.
Thousands of loss of lives, loss of service, loss of production causes
due to departure from Quality and Standard in the work process of
power utilities. We should vehemently oppose.
3. Speculatory games with trading of power to be stopped forthwith to arrest
exorbitant cost of supply and bankruptcy of public sector utilities. Right to mineral
as well natural resources is to be retained by union government. All profit hunting
game like KG basin gas dispute to be stopped forthwith. Indigenous fuel for
power generation including natural gas should be priced at cost+ basis and not
on import parity basis. As coal is the major resource for electricity generation,
suitable mechanism should be developed to control cost, quality, reliability and
efficiency for supply of coal. Selection of technology for power generation should
be prioritising on the basis of indigenous resources and adoptability in the Indian
situation with affordability of cost of power. Persons involved in the Energy
resource scams should be penalized through judicial probe.
This part of struggle has become more crucial with the change of policy of the
Government. Planning Commission constituted with eminent scholars and
experts who prevailed upon Government to accomplish need of the people
through utilisation of indigenous natural resources. NITI Ayog has been

61
 constituted with all “Yes”man of Narendra Modi. They are not at all brain storming
on the need of the people. Their object is to make avenue for making profit by the
business community without any or minimum investment. Trading of Electricity
/ supply of electricity through public owned/existing network are the example.
4. Standard for workplace operational & preventive safety and occupational
health related work norm for the electricity industry is to be codified in the
Electricity Act in consultation with the National Federations of Electricity
Employees. Compliance of such codes is to be strictly adhered to.
Safety still remained neglected even in major electricity utilities. In
some of the age old organisations dealing Generation / Transmission
/ Distribution or all together does not have safety organisation or set
up. We have discussed in details in Safety Chapter of this report.
5. Skill development in Electricity Industry should be taken care of by National /
Regional Power training institutes / CEA with compulsory training procedure for
the employees of electricity utilities to cope with the rapidly changing technology.
This vital aspect is being still neglected. Our Unions are to impress upon
management for training and retraining. Major Unions may think over
setting up of own training centre with our skilled workers after their
retirement. This may be an exemplary avenue of skill transfer.
6. Contract Labour (Regulation &Abolition) Act, 1970 should be strictly imposed
in electricity industry with compliance of social security measures including
provident fund, pension and gratuity for all contract/casual employees.
Contract/Casual Workers should be given priority consideration in regular
recruitment process of electricity utilities.
Our struggle in this direction is being intensified. All India Strike
called by all Central TUs on 2nd September, 2015 and 2016 had this
demand as a major one. But we cannot but admit that still there is
weakness in awareness among the workers on their legitimate rights.
We are to keep planned approach to overcome the situation.
7. National policy and scheme for generation and use of clean energy to be
formulated keeping balanced use of indigenous natural resources all over the
country.
8. UMPP developers are to comply all conditions of tariff based bidding till 25
years period for assured levelised tariff determined through bidding process.
Sites of abandoned UMPPs are to be handed over to NTPC / State Genco for
execution with financial support from Government.
Status has been discussed in details in the foregoing paragraphs
titled UMPP Sasan, Tata, Adani etc.
9. All Demands raised by Central TUs are to be immediately resolved.
EEFI and all its constituents are taking part in the National Level Trade

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 Union Struggle to achieve the above demands.
Working Condition of Casual / contractor workers in Power sector :
Our action plan adopted by 7th Conference could not be wholey implemented at the
national plain. On 26th July, 2016 meeting of our Working Committee decided to
launch demonstration all over the country as ‗END CONTRACTORISATION DAY‘ on
25th October, 2016. Report of implementation of the programme had not been sent
from all the states. But coincidentally, on 26th October i.e. the day next Hon‘ble
Supreme Court issued historically judgment on ‗Equal Wage for Equal Work‘. On the
part of EEFI Centre copy of the Supreme Court judgment was circulated among all
our constituents. All were requested to submit the memorandum to the respective
heads of Power utilities. Some of our constituents were responded to.
13.1 Fraternal relation: There are good number of likeminded industry level
federation. We need to have fraternal relation with all these federations in general but
very specific and closer relation is to be established with federation of Coal,
Petroleum, Oil and Gas as well federation of nuclear Energy employees. We invited
them in our conference. But conference of Petroleum, Oil and Gas Workers
Federations takes place concurrently with our conference at Kochi on 19 & 20
August. Whenever we take part in the international events, we observe there is
established relation among the Energy workers. But in India, the matter is being
discussed over a decade but who will bell the cat is yet to be decided. We are to take
the initiative for closer relation in the arena of Energy Workers Movement.

13.2 International Relations and Activities :

EEFI has earned reputations among the Energy workers organizations across
the globe as an active National level organization of Electricity workers of India.
Latest Newsletter of IEMO has inserted the news of our conference with much of
importance. It is given below.
The Electricity Employees‘ Federation of India (EEFI), member of the IEMO, will
hold its 8th National conference from August 18th to 20th 2017. The topic of this
one will be the national Convention for the equal treatment ―to equal pay for
equal work‖, organized in April 2017 in New Delhi, with the participation of more
than 1000 employees, engineers and managers of all the States of India.
Denouncing the employers‘ tyranny, the noncompliance with the clauses of the
Constitution of India relating to the Electricity and the exploitation of the
employees, the Convention addresses to the government a certain number of
claims, in particular: to ensure the payment of the wages and equal advantages
to the contractual workers to the same wage rate as that offered to the regular
workers of the same industry/company; to guarantee the retirement and the
social security for all; to stop the transfer of the national heritage and the
resources in private hands; to ensure electricity for all at an accessible cost. The
IEMO wishes full success to the 8th National conference of the EEFI.

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We have decided not to invite foreign delegates in this conference cutting measures.
We are taking part in lots of International events and conferences in India and
abroad. EEFI is holding the portfolio of TUI(Energy) Vice President from Asia.
General Secretary took part in the 17th World Congress of World Federation of Trade
Unions, a class oriented organisation of around 10 Crore workers from 112 countries.
EEFI will also be a host partner of Annual meeting of all TUIs

Sub : Information on Accidents and safety statistics.

Dear Sir,
Our organisation is undergoing an in-depth study on the captioned subject. We
solicit your co -operation to conduct the study. Hope, we shall be provided the
information as per table below since promulgation of Electricity Act, 2003.

We require the information year wise and state wise. If information on central, state
and private sectors are available with you, we shall be interested to have in details.
In case, you are not agreeable to provide the information on our informal request,
the names and address of the officer assigned as per Right to Information Act,
2005 may kindly be forwarded to us. We shall take up the matter with him. An
early response will be highly appreciated.

Thank you,
Most Sincerely yours,
(Prasanta N Chowdhury)
General Secretary
Cell : 09830264170
Mail : [email protected]

23rd December, 2014 ——————— Observation of Black Day

Black Day observed by our federation, all over the country, against the Electricity
(Amendment) Bill, 2014 which was introduced in the Parliament on 19th
December, 2014.

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5th January, 2015 ————————————————————
EEFI extend fraternal support to valiant united struggle of the coal workers.
Electricity workers and employees all over the country convey warm greetings to
the Heroic decision of coal workers of the country towards resorting to 5 days
strike from January 6 to 10 to raise their unified voice of protest against
Government India‘s steps towards denationalization of Coal mining in the name
of restructuring, resulting high price of electricity and other industrial products,
contractorisation of mining and mediaeval exploitation of workers. Anti people
and anti worker attitude of Government of India compelled the united forum of
Coal workers to be abstained from attending the meeting convened by ministry of
Coal on 3rd January as a mark of protest.
6th January, 2015
Letter to Sri Piyush Goyal, Hon‘ble Coal Minister, GOI ensure right to Energy for
the people of India – amicably settle the demands the Coal Workers and
conveyed their support in favour of Coal Workers‘ strike. Through that letter EEFI
also yearly disputed the policy of transferring public sector properties to private
owners. The proverb ‗cost to people and profit for the privates‘ has been
translated into reality. Minister of Power has introduced Electricity (Amendment)
Bill, 2014 in the Loksabha towards further privatisation. All these steps are being
taken for curbing right to Energy for the people.
2nd February, 2015 ———— Round Table Conference
A Round Table Conference on ―Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014‖ will be
auspicated by EEFI at Kolkata at 10 AM on 4th March, 2015. Venue will be
communicated shortly. Besides Power sector Employees and Engineers eminent
personalities and experts of the Electricity Industry will be requested to take part
in the Round Table Conference.
All Office Bearers of EEFI are requested to make it convenient to take part in the
Round Table Conference intended to analyze objects and implications of the
proposed amendment of the Electricity Act, now in force.
7th March, 2015 ——————— Solidarity Action in support of Strike on 9th
March, 2015 by Public Sector Insurance Workers.
Government of India has introduced Insurance Law (Amendment) Bill, 2015 in
Parliament on 4th March with the object of hiking 49% FDI in insurance sector to
jeopardize the public sector insurance corporations in India.
AIIEA, AILICEF, NOIW and BVKS have jointly given a nationwide strike call on
9th March, 2015. EEFI along with all the progressive organizations of workers and
employees of the country raise its Voice of protest. All the EEFI constituents and
associates observed solidarity action in support of the strike on 9th March, 2015.

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30th March,2015 ——————— An Appeal to Resist
On behalf of Electricity Employees Federation of India, we put this fervent appeal
to all to extent their active support to the struggle for protecting the right to
Electricity for our countrymen by opposing the anti people amendment of
Electricity Act, 2003 through the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014.
On that appeal we described tit bits of the Electricity policy of India since
independence to at present. The sub headlines given below :
● Electricity in Independent India:
● Pro People Electricity Act replaced with anti people one:
● Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 will extend empire of loot:
● Competition (!) for whom?
● Power situation at present:
● Loss continues:
● Forced condition to create more loss :
● Competition for exploiting the workers:
● National resources are exposed for loot of business houses:
● The first Reformed State Odisha rolled back:
● We are to fight together:
2nd April, 2015———————— A letter write to the Chief Minister of Himachal
Pradesh Protest against repression upon Power Project Workers and their
leaders. We have noted with grave shock and utter agony that hundreds of
workers of JP Hydel Project at Karcham Wangtu have been evicted from their
camps and forced to stay under open sky for days together.
We raised strong protest against that attack upon workers and their leaders and
demand immediate intervention to settle the demands of the workers with
restoration of their democratic rights.
22nd & 23rd May, 2015 ——————— Historical decision taken at the Working
Committee Meeting at Wayanad, Kerala to resist the draconian Electricity
(Amendment) Bill, 2014
EEFI took the decision of one day‘s strike within 7 days of commencement of
next session of the Parliament, in Electricity sector. Secondly a memorandum of
alternative proposal to be submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Energy. Considering the far reaching implications of the proposed amendments,
our Federation has obtained inputs from a wide range of experts who had served
as Chairman of SEBs/DISCOMS, Electricity Regulatory Commission members,
officials in Central Electricity Authority and renewable energy experts, while
finalising this submission.
15th June, 2015 ————————— EEFI wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to
stop enactment of Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

66
30th May, 2016 ————————— Issued a press statement in on behalf of our
federation against the management of Haryana Power Corporations
HPC have unilaterally sacked 7472 contractual and several other regular
workers on the insistence of the State Government. Workers have taken part in a
strike against privatisation of Power sector sub divisions on 11th May, 2016.
14th June, 2016 ————————- Federation wrote a letter to the Hon‘ble Chief
Minister, Government of Haryana for an amicable settlement of dispute between
the Government and Power workers.
7th July, 2016 ————————- A circular issued to all constituents of EEFI
across the country convey one greetings to all Power workers of Haryana, who
have achieved commendable victory through united militant struggle.
1st September, 2016 ———————— Wrote two letters to Minister of State
(Independent Charge) Labour & Employment and to the Central Labour
Commissioner of Labour & Employment Department to hold upon menacing
exploitation of contractor workers in Central, State and private sector Power Utilities.
On the above backdrop our federation conducted a study in 44 nos. Power utilities in
19 states and observed that out of 2.2 million Electricity workers and Employees in
different utilities only one million are regular employees. They doing same job but not
in same pay. Our affiliated and associated members submitted memorandum to the
heads of the respective Electricity utilities and Labour Minister of the State
concerned. Memorandum was content total number of permanent workers and
employees, contract workers engage in perennial nature of jobs, installed generating
capacity, total sale of Energy, number of consumers, total revenue earned and
relevant details to urge upon the utility for regularisation of the contract workers.
25th October, 2016 —————————— Convention on ‗End Contractorisation
Day‘
1. Since our last working committee meeting held in 22nd July at Delhi the only
change in Socio Economic scenario of the country is attention of people of
India has been shifted from limitation of the NDA Govt. to improve the living
condition of people towards border conflict with Pakistan at Kashmir front.
Style have been evolved, those who will be opposing Modi govt. giving their
tall commitments would be earmarked as anti national. Amidst this situation,
working class of India under the leadership of all central trade unions (other
than BMS) organized the biggest ever strike all over the country on 2nd
September 2016. All commitments of NCCOEEE other than ABVMMS
extended their support to the strike call. In respect of participation of
Electricity Employees in the strike detailed report was sought for at EEFI
centre but still not available. Information goes that participation in strike was
avenge in state power utilities almost nil in central private power utilities. We
are to review the matter on receipt of detailed report for the states.

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2. Electricity (Amendment) Bill- 2014:- As decided in the last meeting of NCCOEEE
of Delhi power minister was requested to resume the discussion. No response
has yet been received. It is still uncertain, whether govt is sticking to go ahead
with the Bill with priority. In practice, none other than organizations of Electricity
Employees & Engineers pay need to the problems to be cropped up. Protest of
NCCOEEE restrained the sort to some stent but NDA govt has not shifted from
their goal of favoritism to private corporate in all sectors of commerce & industry
obnoxiously energy sector is not any exception. Our limitation is that we cannot
reach to the people to unveil these obnoxious games. However, we are to
continue our effort both independently as well collectively.
3. WFTU Conference: EEFI was represented by P. N. Chowdhury in 17th World
Trade Union Conference held at Durban, South Africa. 16th conference was
represented by Com. Subhas Lamba at Athens, Greece. Considerable project
was noted in the class oriented to members all over the globe. Membership
strength has bone to 92 million adding 14 million in this period of 5 years. More
and more countries are joining WFTU, some of which leading ITU. Total
participating countries were 111. Unions of Russia joined after 2 decades since
fall of Soviet Union. Trade union of USA also took part in this conference. All
these are encouraging features but performance of TUI (Energy) was very poort.
General Secretary took part in the conference one day as an observer. Only one
out of 3 delegates allocated for TUI (Energy) took part. None spoke on behalf of
TUI (Energy). General Secretary could not answer the reason behind.
4. Our Unions at Telangana had its 1st conference at Hyderabad on 19th & 20th
General Secretary was invited and took part. Comrade Suri Babu from
Andhra Pradesh also attended the conference. This union is achieving an
important position in the arena of power workers movement in Telangana.
COTEE had its 15th conference in Thiruvannamalai, 13-16 August General
Secretary & Com Laxman took part. All the major TVs of TNEB took part in
the important session of the conference. COTEE organized various social &
cultural events involving various section of people on the occasion of its 15th
conference. Assam Electricity Supply Mazdoor Union will organize its
conference in December next.
5. Observance of centenary of October revolution: All of us are aware of the
forthcoming centenary of great October revolution of working class all over the
world will celebrate this glorious event of history of class struggle, being the path
finder of emancipation from capitalist- imperialist oppression. All EFFI
constituents should also adopt year long activities to celebrate centenary of
October Revolution. 1st event should be hosting of EEFI Flag at the work place,
union offices and entrances of important power installations. Unions affiliated to
CITU also host CITU Flag in addition to federation flag and related activities for
the forthcoming 15th conference to take place at Puri, Odisha between 26 & 30

68
 November next. Specific guidelines already issued from CITU is to be followed. All
our units having more than 25 members in a specific place/ work where should
observe 7th November event. EEFI will put its best endeavor to improve
organizational quality of its constituents through year long activity extending
ideological as well trade union education. Programs will be developed through
discussion in this meeting of OB. Besides two national level educational programe in
Hindi & English language we may organize day long education classes at all states
headquarters/ schedule places of the states in 1) West Bengal 2) Kerala
3) Tamilnadu 4) Andhra Pradesh 5) Telangana 6) Assam 7) Tripura 8) Odisha
9) Chhattisgarh 10) Haryana 11) Punjab 12) Uttar Pradesh 13) Bihar 14)
Maharastra 15) Karnataka & 2/3 other states.
A special issue of voice commemorating the century of October Revolution will
be published. EEFI will request leaders of mass movement and scholars will be
requested to contribute in this special issue of voice likely to be published on the
eve of our 8th conference of EEFI scheduled in the year of centenary celebration
of October Revolution.
14. Safety of Electricity Employees
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 177 of the Electricity Act, 2003 the
Central Electricity Authority has been assigned the responsibility of over viewing
safety aspects in Electricity Industry. On behalf of EEFI we wrote to The CE (EI) &
Chief Electrical Inspector, Government of India, Central Electricity
Authority, Electrical Inspectorate Division in August 2014 to have the
information as per table below:

It is unfortunate to mention that the letter remained unresponded. We are attaching

hereto the menacing situation of Fatal Accidents in Electricity Industry. As available
from Ministry of Power Government of India source, nos. fatal accidents in
Generating Stations / Transmission and Distribution area is tabled below :

69
 State wise number of Electrical Accidents in India
Human Fatal
Sl No. States
Year 2004-05 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
1 Andhra Pradesh 31 722 880 422
(Telangana 14-15)
3 Assam Na 75 14 10
4 Bihar Na 77 77 20
5 Chhattisgarh 136 171 192 290
6 Delhi 9 14 9 0
8 Gujarat 264 89 177 406
9 Haryana 59 Na 144 93
10 Himachal Pradesh 25 17 20 2
13 Karnataka 307 110 175 277
14 Kerala 99 215 161 6
15 Madhya Pradesh 357 304 369 577
16 Maharashtra 139 0 0 779
17 Manipur 12 Na 5 Information 10
was not
19 Mizoram 3 Na 0 available
21 Odisha 31 98 54 86
23 Punjab 96 115 143 10
24 Rajasthan 178 240 504 1092
26 Tamil Nadu 333 535 483 142
27 Telangana 249
28 Tripura 3 11 11 0
29 Uttar Pradesh Na 136 136 782
30 Uttarakhand 52 Na Na 41
31 West Bengal 69 117 17 76
36 Chandigarh 3 1 1
All India Total 2243 3056 3435 5143

Most noteworthy aspect revealed from the study of the table shows that within a span
of one decade nos. of loss of lives from fatal accidents rose from 2243 to 5143 i.e.
230% rise. In practice, all the power utilities irrespective of ownership has stopped

70
recruitment of regular workers and engaging workers through contractors
following bidding process. Contractors are interested to make more and more
profit. Hence, level of skill, training, qualification and possession of licence by the
workers are drastically compromised at the behest of Power utilities running
behind lowering cost of supply. Ultimate cost is growth of loss of life. An
annexure No. 16 is set with this report for study of the delegates and use of the
same in their work place. Annexure at page -173
15. Conclusion :
In the foregoing paragraphs we have discussed the global and national scenario
in general and Energy as well Power sector of our country. We have embraced
major activities of working class movement of our country as well struggle of the
Electricity Workers and Employees. Upon the above backdrop, we are to develop
our future course of action for the coming years. 8th Conference of EEFI resolves
to advance its movement as proposed:
1. Whatever rosy picture, the Government of India place to appease the people that
the Government is doing its best to provide Electricity for all, the fact behind is
the entire object of the Government to make Power sector wider play ground for
the private profit mongers. Our foremost task is to unveil the game plan of the
Government before the people. Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 will be one of
the major tool in that direction. EEFI will develop campaign and agitation its own
at the national level besides united action in association with NCCOEEE
constituents. All our organisations will also develop such action plan in its work
place as well respective districts, projects and states. 7the Conference raised the
demand of Right to Electricity for All, what will not be achieved unless we are
able to merge our struggle with the struggle of the people.
2. National Convention of workers involving all Central TUs, National
Federations took place at Delhi on 8th August. It has given clarion call for
wider movement of the working class of India to raise their voice in peak to
protest anti people, anti worker policy of the Government. EEFI along with all
its constituents will put their fullest endeavour to make the movement
successful in every level. Detailed program to involve all section of workers
and employees will be finalized through discussion in the confetence.
3. Our demand of wage settlement through bipartite collective bargaining
mechanism towards long term settlement is yet to be achieved. This demand
is a matter of long standing struggle. We are to pursue till it is achieved.
4. Our demand to make an end of contractorisation in the perennial nature of work, as
well Equal Wage for Equal Work was placed before Central Labour Minister by EEFI
National Centre. Similar demand along with movement is to be continued in all the
states. Copies of memorandum placed before the authority concerned are to be
made available at EEFI National Centre. We must not forget that some

71
 demands can be achieved through struggle with the employer only. But
situation, sometimes requires legal intervention. Legal action without any
documentation cannot be initiated. Government is in hurry to modify or repeal
the existing labour laws. We are to oppose all these moves on the part of the
Government. Hence, documentation of Memorandum, MOM and Agreements
are essential part of our struggle.
5. Statutory compliance for the contractor workers of the power utilities lies upon
the principal employer i.e. power company. Labour departments of the
Appropriate Government should not be spared. Procedural industrial dispute
should be raised in all the suitable matters.
6. All our Unions of permanent workers should take proper care with
seriousness on all the issues of contractor workers, considering those of
prime importance. Combined thrust of both the unions will impress the
management to follow right track.
7. Our demands related to safety, should not be kept confined within raising
formal demands. In order to achieve appropriate standard for operation and
maintenance of Electricity Generation, Transmission and Distribution,
management of the utilities are to be pressurised hard. We cannot
compromise with death of 15 Electricity workers per day across the country.
8. Electricity Act and Rules thereof along with regulations or codes are being
made complicated in the name of transparency. End consumers cannot avail
benefit of the so called consumer friendly regulations cannot be utilised by
common people. We shall have to gather knowledge and proficiency to
protect the interest of consumer. Support to consumers or forum of the
consumers may be extended by EEFI constituents. What will pave the way
for developing relation with the consumers.
9. Regional level TU schools will be organised by EEFI centre in association with
the organisation of the host state to observe by centenary of Birth of Karl Marx
and centenary of Great October Revolution. Dates and venue will be finalised
immediately after conference. All EEFI constituents will also celebrate Karl Marx
Birth by Centenary and October Revolution Centenary in a befitting manner.
10. All our unions are to make effort to develop down the line leadership with proper
hierarchical planning. Class Struggle of the country is intensified through
movement of Workers engaged in strategic sector like energy, transport,
communication etc. We must of to concentrate on quality as well quantified
expansion of our organization, keeping overall responsibility lies upon us.
Dear Comrades,
We have discussed the situation before us. Jaws of Neo liberal policy has gagged
the people of entire developing countries of the world. Working class struggle is a
common Phenomenon all over the world. BJP led NDA Govt. is determined to

72
snatch away all rights of Workers as well poor people. Workers at the behest of
Trade Unions have declared NO PASARON. EEFI, the vanguard of Electricity
workers movement of India is to shoulder the cause of the workers as well down
the earth people of the country aspiring to have access to Electricity. The strugle
is a long drawn one. But we are not alone. Major section of Electricity Workers,
Employees and Engineers are united. Our Counterpart Federations of Coal, Oil
and other sources of energy are coming closer. 8th Conference took place with
58 organisations of Electricity Workers. We are becoming stronger. But we know
there is a far path to traverese towards goal. This Conference has enriched us.
We are having guidance of fore runners in the path of Class Struggle. We are
thankful to people Hyderabad as well Telengana for extending their hands of
cooperation to our comrades of Reception Committee. who took the challenge of
hosting this conference. Red Salute to all of them.

Long Live Working Class Unity

Workers of the World, Unite!
Long Live EEFI
Prasanta N Chowdhury
General Secretary.

73
 ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA
8TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE

ACTIVITY REPORTS FROM THE STATES

74
75
 REPORT FROM ASE WORKERS UNION

Industrial

A SEB unbundled in Dec‘ 2004 and three separate functional Corporation

formed under the State govt.viz Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) ,
Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd(APGCL) and Assam Electricity Grid
Corporation Ltd (AEGCL). After Reform, during the last 13 years huge investment
made in the State Power Sector taking loan from ADB, Central Govt. funding and
others but Power scenario of the state is not improved as de-sired. There are about
36 lakhs consumers and peak load demand is around 1500 MW where as own
generation of the State is only 300 MW and rest is purchased from Central Power
Generation Sectors and through Power Exchange at high prices. Discom had
implemented IBDT and huge nos. of 11KV/33KV Feeder & DTR handed over to the
private Franchisees but revenue realization from the private parties is very irregular.
A good nos. of defaulters left without paying dues resulting immense loss of revenue
of Discom. In 2013 there was a move by the Govt. of Assam (GOA) to hand over
Upper Assam Distribution Region of APDCL to PPP mode but due to strong
opposition of the NCCOEE&E, Assam Branch and others, the GOA had bound to
revoke the decision. It is worth mentioning here that on request of our Union, EEFI in
its 7th National Conference from Kanchipuram had send a Fax mes-sage opposing
the move to the Chief Minister, Power Minister, Assam & Chairman, APDCL. The
Union expressed its gratitude to EEFI for support .Again GOA has initiated another
term loan from ADB for 2nd phase Reforms for which M/S Price water Coopers has
been engaged as consultant & M/S PWC prepared a Draft on Human Resource
Plan, APDCL for next 25 years which is against the interest of employees. M/S PWC
has devised the plan into two parts, one is Core staff con-sists 25% of Officers &
Supervisors, another is Support Staff consists of 75% which are to be engaged by
the contract workers even in permanent & perennial jobs. The Union & Association
has outright rejected the Plan and decided to go for agitations
for permanent recruitment.
Organisational
Trade Union activities of ASE workers‘ Union has considerably improved during last
couple of years. The Union held its 29th Biennial Conference at Badarpur from 20-22
June‘ 2014 where Com P.N. Chowdhury GS ,EEFI attended all the delegate
Sessions and the 30th Biennial Conference at Nagaon from 6-8 Jan‘2016 where
Com. S Dev Roye, WP, EEFI addressed the open meeting. On 21-22 Nov‘15 EEFI
Working Committee Meeting was organized at Guwahati. On 18th Dec‘2016,

76
Upper Assam Regional Meeting was organized at Jorhat. President, Vice Presi-dent,
GS & Dy GS of the Central committee addressed the meeting were in pres-ence of
400 nos. of members. In addition to that several Unit/Zonal meeting con-ducted in
various field levels to strengthen the trade union activities to mobilize the member &
general employees of the Industry in connection with the anti working class policy of
the State & Central govt. Nation wide General Strike on 2nd Septem-ber in 2015 &
2016 observed in the State Power Sector successfully. The Union also held
discussion/Parley/ meeting with the Commissioner, Power Deptt., Labour
Commissioner, Labour Bureau (Central) and Management etc in many occasions.
The Union also took part in the BOT meeting of the ASEB Employees Pension Fund
& Investment Trust in which the President of the Union is one of the Trustee Member
(Invitee). The Union also participated in the East & North Convention of NCCOEE&E
at Kolkata on 23rd July‘2015 and 8th April‘2017 and National Conven-tion at New
Delhi on 27th April‘17. Revise Pay & Pension is due from 1st Jan‘ 2016, the authority
has not taken any serious Step in this regard but constituted a three member Pay
Committee very recently. All the Unions & Associations has united on the common
issue and formed an umbrella forum as Co-ordination Committee of Electricity
Employees, Engineers & Pensioners for ROP-2016. There are 5000 nos. of out
sourced /contact/Temp employees.The Union is trying its level best to mobi-lize
them. The payment of remuneration is not uniform, Bill Clerk /Meter Reader are
getting @ Rs. 3/ per bill/meter, Field staff Sahayak (helper) are paid Daily Wages
and office staff like Peon, Chowkidar, LDA cum Computer Operator are paid fixed
pay monthly. The Management took initiative to engage out sourced workers through
Contractor but due to tremendous opposition from NCCOEE&E Assam Branch it
could not be materialized. Movement is still going on for Equal Pay for Equal Work
and to regularize the temporary Employees.

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 PUNJAB REPORT TSU AND MSU

O n the call of EEFI, division level rallies and marches were held on Feb 21, 2014
all over the state against the Electricty Act (Amendment) Bill 2014 in the year
2014, 2015 and 2016
On the programme planned by EEFI, our workers of TSU , MSU and Contract
Worker Union participated in the national level conventions held at Fridabad on
Dec 11, 2013 and in Delhi on April 27, 2017 as per quota alloted to us.
TSU and MSU jointly organised the contract workers and included their demands
of hike in wages, job security, retrenchment, regularisation of contract services
etc. in the PSEB Employees Joint Forum's demand chart. On the issues of
contract work-ers, the state level dharna at head office patiala on Nov 18, 2015,
state level rally and march on June 12, 2016 at Bhatinda were successfully held
in which TSU and MSU workers and leaders also participated.
After the national convention of April 27 2017 on 'Equal Pay for Equal Work,'
Joint Forum successfully organised state level convention on this issue on June
14 ,2017 in which Com. Subash Lamba Secty. EEFI also addressed.
On the call of NCC of trade unions and federations, electricity employees of
Punjab participated in the national strike of Aug 28 2014 and Sept 2 2015. Sept
2nd, being holiday in Punjab, our electricity employees took part in rallies held all
over the state to make the national strike successful.
On the employees demands continuos struggle programme of sub division,
division and circle level rallies were organised. On dated 06-11-2013, 22-1-2014,
7-2-2014, 6-8-2014,15,16,17-12-2014,3- 6-2016,27 -7-2016,7- 8-2016,20,21-10-
2016, 29-11-2016. State level dharna were also held. State level strike on Aug
2014 and Oct 14 2014 were also organised. Due to continuous struggle,
management was com-pelled to sit round the table and negotiate the agreement
with PSEB Employees Joint Forum and many pay related,working conditions
related, promotion related, pensions related demands were met.
Moreover, in support of Harayana electricity employees struggle the rallies and
dharna were organised throughout the state continuesly 7 days.

78
 WORK REPORT OF KSEB
WORKERS ASSOCIATION (CITU)

K SEB Workers‘ Association has taken up various campaigns and agitations

independently under the banner of EEFI and NCCOEEE raising different demands in the
power sector as well as against the neo- liberal policies pursued by the Central Government
and previous UDF lead State Government since Kanchipuram conference of EEFI. We were
able to strengthen our base in KSEBoard during this period and also built up unity among all
section of working class through our joint actions. We took part in all the campaigns and
struggles
called by the State and Central committees of CITU.
The total membership of the Association in 2016 reached to 15990 out of 26000
employees working in the workmen category of the KSEBL.
2013 September 10- Token Strike

KSEB Workers‘ Association has called for a token strike on 2013 September 10
raising demands such as restore the transfer norms of 1988, revoke all transfers
violating the transfer norms, stop atrocities of Vigilance Wing, create required
staff strength by following the accepted norms,effect all pending
promotions,Issue mate-rials and required safety equipments,refrain from moves
to hand over the assets and finance to solar middlemen,withdraw the orders for
outsourcing cash collection,increase the internal generation capacity of power.
2013 December 12-Parliament march by NCCOEEE

National Co-ordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers call for a

parliament march on 2013 December 12 raising the demands of review the Elec-
tricity Act,2003, stop privatization in the Electricity Sector, withdraw the Electricity
Amendment Bill, 2014, stop contractualisation in the Electricity sector, equal wage for
equal work. Our Assosiation took a lead role in organising campaigns all over the
state. In connection with this, campaigns were organised jointly in all districts by the
Trade Unions. Around 4000 workers participated in the above campaigns. 98
workers of KSEB Workers Association attended the Parliament march.

2014 January 14-20_ Anniversary of EEFI

A seminar was organised at BTR Memmorial, Thiruvananthapuram in connection

with 30th anniversary of EEFI. The seminar was inaugurated by Com. Pinaray
Vijayan. National leaders such as Com.K O Habeeb, Com. P N Chowdhury, Com.

79
Swadesh Deb Roy,Com. A K Balan attended the meeting. 600 workers attended
the meeting.
2014 February 21 -National struggle by NCCOEEE

Again National Co-ordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers

call on 2014 February 21 for a national struggle raising the demands of review
Electricity Act,2003, ensure social control in the power sector, withdraw the
propos-als to amend the Electricity Act,2003, stop contractualisation in the power
sector. Representatives of KSEBWA attended the Sathyagraha and march
organised be-fore the Parliament. Sathyagraha was organised in all district
headquarters of the State also.
2014 May 2-8-Safety Week

Effective safety campaigns were organised among employees and public in the
State in the light of increasing electrical accidents. Seminars were organised at
District headquarters and Electrical Divisions. Com. AK Balan inaugurated the
State level Seminar and Com. K O Habeeb, EEFI President was the moderator.
2014 December 8- Parliament March

102 members attended the march.

2014 December 23- Black Day (NCCOEEE)

Office level meetings were organised by wearing black badges. E-mails were
sent to Prime Minister and Minister for Electricity.
2015-February 26- March to Central Government offices

As per the call by Central Trade Unions in connection with the National Struggle
March and Dharna were organised in front of Central Government Offices.
2015 May 1-30

Electricity employees participated in the struggles organised by the CITU against the
Globalisation policies, labour act amendments, price hike, regressive privatisation
policies adopted by the Central Government. 9140 members of KSEBWA attended
the General Body meetings organised as part of the national campaign. 4174 mem-
bers attended the family meet. House visits were done at 3500 homes of workers.

2015 July 14-Zonal Convention at Chennai

71 members attended.

80
 2015 November 6- Bolgatty March

Protest march was organised by EEFI and NCCOEEE on November 6, 2015

before the Bolgatty Palace at Eranakulam, the venue of National Conference of
Power Ministers. 9000 members of KSEBWA attended the march. It is recorded
as the biggest protest march in the country against the Electricity Amendment
Bill, 2014. 15000 employees including representatives from neighbouring states
participated in the struggle.
2015 July 16-NCCOEEE State Convention

Hundreds of workers participated in the State Convention organised in

connection with the National Strike against Electricity Amendment Bill,2014.
2016 June 29-Solidarity to Strike by Haryana Electricity employees

Under the banner of NCCOEEE solidarity was declared in Kerala for the strike by
the employees of Haryana Electricity Board against the privatisation move.
2016, November 11-Protest against the decision of demonetisation

Protest march was organised in all Electrical Divisions against demonetisation.

2016, September-2- National General Strike

General body meetings were organised in connection with National General

Strike. KSEBWA participated in the District-State level Joint Trade Union
meetings. Ve-hicle rallies were organised in the State. Squad works were
organised in the offices and houses of employees. Hundreds of our workers
participated in the march organised towards Central Government offices on the
day of strike. Around 93% of employees struck work on the day of strike.
2016, December 22 -Equal wage to Equal work

Electricity employees participated in the struggle organised by the CITU for

imple-menting the order of Supreme Court for equal wage to equal work.
WFTU day

Every year the day was observed by organising Seminars, Corner meetings etc.

March 8- International Women's day

Meetings of women workers, seminars, poster campaigns and classes were

organised throughout the State. Lady members of Officers Association also co-
operated with KSEBWA.

81
 May 30- CITU Day

Extensive programmes were arranged with large participation of employees.

Election Campaigns- Local Body, Parliament and State Assembly

16th Loksabha Election-2014

Front level workers meetings of KSEBWA were organised in all districts. 6000
workers attended the meetings. 750 Unit General Body meetings were
conducted. 11164 members attended the meetings.
132 evening meetings were also organised. 8469 members attended. House
cam-paigns were effectively conducted. 2240 members of KSEBWA worked in
525 squads. 23754 houses of members, officers, PSC rank holders, pensioners,
con-tract workers and members of other unions were visited.
332 Boards,178 banners,8428 posters and 44000 notices were used for the elec-
tion campaigns. 55,600 pamphlets were distributed in offices, houses and family
meetings. Rs.14,68,600/- have been given to the CPI(M) district committees and
Rs.8,94,600/- was given locally as election fund.
Local Body Election
General Body meetings, family meetings and squad works were arranged as part of
election campaign. One day's wage was given as election fund by all employees.

State Assembly Election-2016

Front level leaders meetings and general body meetings were organised in 14
dis-tricts. 8017 members attended. 222 evening meetings were organised.10116
at-tended. 682 squads were formed for house visits. 2507 members worked in
these squads. 13598 houses were visited. 160 Boards,269 banners and 3710
posters were exhibited. 70000 notices were distributed. 3,42,500 pamphlets were
also dis-tributed. 1475 bikes were attended in the rallies organised as part of
election cam-paign. 569 section jathas were organised.1345 workers attended in
the vehicle ral-lies. Women employees organised 8 separate meetings of their
own. 318 women participated. The help of social media was also extensively
used for election cam-paigns.
Referendum-2015
Referendum was conducted in KSEBL on 2015 October 20 for deciding the recog-
nition of trade unions. Referendum was conducted coinciding with the Local Body
Elections in Kerala. 15000 houses of employees were visited as part of its cam-
paign. Former Referendum was conducted during 2003. Association got 41.21%
votes then. Now we got 47.5% votes (13117 votes) and became the principal bar-

82
gaining agent. INTUC led unions contested in two separate unions and they
gath-ered 6853 and 1071 votes respectively. AITUC led union got 16.5% votes.
15% vote was the required percentage for recognition.
Restructuring of KSEB

As per the Ele. Act,2003, the UDF led Government took a decision on 2013 Octo-ber
30 to re-vest the assets of KSEB into KSEB Ltd which was vested earlier in
Government. We, by uniting other Unions/Associations started agitation against the
hasty decision of Government. Government was compelled to discuss the issue with
the Unions. We have demanded that while formulating the transfer scheme, the
interests of employees including protection of service benefits, formation of pen-sion
fund to ensure pension to existing pensioners and serving employees, guaran-tee of
Government to the Master trust shall be ensured in the Tri-partite agreement. These
demands were agreed by the Government. In 2014 August 1 a Tri-partite agreement
was signed by the Unions with Government and KSEB Ltd.

Total Electrification in the State

A flagship scheme announced by the then LDF Government in Kerala during 2006-
11 was the total electrification of the State. During the tenure of that Government 84
constituencies out of 140 were totally elctrified. 4 out of 14 districts were also elec-
trified during that term of the LDF Government. However, the UDF Government
came in power during 2011-16 had not taken any initiative to complete the scheme.
The LDF Government came in power in the State in 2016 declared that the State would
be totally electrified by one year and steps were taken to complete the task. Around 1.5
lakhs applications were received for new connection. Electricity em-ployees were actively
involved for the successful completion of the scheme. KSEBWA has wired 1912
households free of cost. Electricity was made available to those sections of people living
in SC/ST Settlements and to the people in BPL category who were deprived of electricity
for long period. Now the Kerala was declared as the first totally electrified State in India.
KSEB Ltd incurred 174 Crores for the scheme.

Organisation

In 2013, the memebership of KSEBWA was 15803 and it increased to 16363 during
2014. In 2015, the membership was 16185 and in 2016 the membership was 15990.
The State Conference of KSEB Workers' Association was held at BTR Memmorial,
Thiruvananthapuram on 2017 May 3,4 and 5. The Conference was inaugurated by
Com. Elamaram Kareem, the General Secretary of CITU State Committee. 436
delegates including 35 women attended the State Conference. A meeting of former
leaders of KSEBWA was also held. Com. M M Mani, the Minister for Electricity
inaugurated the above meeting. Com. Elamaram Kareem, Com. K. Jayaprakash

83
and Com. Suma Sekhar were elected as President, General Secretary and Trea-
surer of KSEB Workers' Association respectively. 30 other Office bearers were
also elected.
Fund to EEFI

KSEB Worker‘s Association has remitted Rupees Five Lakhs towards EEFI Fund
and Rupees Twenty Two Lakhs as Pay Revision fund to Electricity Employees
Federation of India.
Pay Revision in KSEB

New wage revision Settlement was signed on 16th February 2016 under the lead-
ership of KSEBWA. A minimum hike of Rs.2435/- was ensured to all employees.

Electricity Sector in the State

The considerable period since the last conference of KSEBWA was under the
rule of UDF Government. No tangible developments could be noticed during that
Gov-ernment in the power sector of Kerala. They have not even made any effort
to complete the works of Power Projects commenced during the former LDF
Govern-ment. Only 30.25 MW was the capacity addition during the tenure of that
Govern-ment. The above situation forced the State to a power crisis. The new
LDF Govern-ment had begun steps to tide over the power crisis in the State. 200
MW Solar Power Project was commissioned. Works of Power Project which
stalled for the last few years have been started. For improving the internal
transmission works, a mas-ter plan for Rs.8444 Crores was formulated. Rs.5200
Crores will be contributed by the State Government. Rs.1830 Crores is expected
from the Central Government as central financial assistance.
All pending promotions and appointments were effected. First time in Kerala
Online transfer system could be introduced on the initiative of KSEBWA.
Voice of Workers
The campaign for increasing the subscription of 'Voice of Workers' is progressing.
Minimum subscription in each Division will be 10 numbers.

84
 REPORT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
STATE COMMITTEE

D uring this period of review the Andhra Pradesh has been divided into two states
namely Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and thereby the ―United Electricity Employees
Union‖ has also been forced to form two state Committees. Before and after the
bifurcation of the state, the Regional Committees performed their activities in the state
and struggled much for the welfare of the
employees.
The newly formed state committee of United Electricity Employees Union in newly
formed State of Andhra Pradesh has faced many a hurdle and obstacle in stabilizing
the union activities progressively which were overcome with the guidance and help of
the state committee of C.I.T.U. and achieved progress in all aspects.
By the sincere efforts made by the newly formed state committee the union
membership has considerably been increased from 2,900 to 10,500 among
which permanent employees were 1,500 and 9,000 were contract employees.
The union activities has widely been extended to all the 13 districts in the state
whereas it was only confined to 9 strong hold districts.
In the month of May, 2015 ―United Electricity Contract Workers Union‖ has been
started in the state of AP, to exclusively for the sake of contract workers demand
in co-ordination with the ―United Electricity Employees Union‖ in which the
permanent employees are members. However, both the committees in the state
carrying out the activities in the state with full co-operation, co-ordination and
synchronization. In Andhra Pradesh there are two distribution companies namely
―Southern Power Distribution Company‖ and ―Eastern Power Distribution
Company. In the former our union have a strong hold of members.
We have our union members in A.P. Transco and A.P.Genco associated with our
local bodies of union but we don‘t have state committees in the above
organizations, where we have around 150 members among which 60 are active
cadre. The state committee is regularly monitoring all the problems of contract
workers and struggling to solve them with the management. But we do accept
that much efforts are not being done to resdue the issues of permanent
employees and study / observation of reforms in Electricity Sector.
Present Situation in employees and Contract Workers.
The AP Government has recently issued a G.O. enhancing the age of superannuation
from 58 years to 60 years. The issue of this G.O. made certain senior employees feel
happily but certain junior employees are of the opinion that they are losing their
promotion prospect. The all unions JAC in Andhra Pradesh electricity section bought for
the issue of this G.O. with retrospective effect from 30.06.2014 but to the

85
dissatisfaction of all the retired employees the Government issued the G.O. with
effect from 27.06.2017 prospectively not on par with the employees of the A.P.
State Government.
The Contract Workers in the state of Telangana were regularized in their services
recently and in the same manner the contract works in A.P. also expecting their
service regularization and the union is committed to fulfill their aspirations by
planning a massive united struggle in the state with co-ordination of other service
organizations if necessary.
Major Activities :
In October, 2015 we made a struggle on this issues of contract workers by
protests and Dharna infront of the State Offices of A.P. Genco, and Distribution
companies, wherein around 2000 contract workers participated for which we
made wide publicity with 23,000 pamphlets and 6000 posters all over the state.
In year 2016, from 1st November to 19th December we made agitation on the contract
workers regarding their job protection, equal wages for equal work, and
regularization of their services, from section office level to state office level by way of
hunger strikes and Dharnams in front of the office, campaigning with 46000
pamphlets and 6000 poster widely published and made a call for ―Chalo Vijayawada‖
and about 5000 contract workers participated in the programme at capital city.
Later we negotiated and convinced the joint action committee of permanent
employees service organizations and they readily accepted to include the
contract workers issue in the demands followed by permanent employees
demands. After that the JAC gave notice and the management discussed thrice
but in vain. We tried for a ―Strike‖ call but could not succeed because of the
magnitude of the members.
We started the second phase of agitations in the months of June and July, 2017.
The state committee of C.I.T.U. given a call to state wide campaign called
―Karmika Sankharavam‖ which we carried out in electricity section by conducting
―Dharnas‖ before all the collecterates in all the districts with about 3000 contract
workers participated in.
When the ―Telugu Desam‖ party came into power and formed the government in
the state of Andhra Pradesh they removed the contact workers from their
services with a notion they did not voted to their party, unlawfully, against which
we protested and made struggle before the respective officers. Those
managements made false complaints to the police stations and our leaders in
some of the districts were even sent to jail. Inspite of the suppressions to leaders
struggling a lot for the protection of the right of contract workers.
The management deliberately denying the protection of our union leaders
and the court of law was approached to obtain the same. In Nellore District, we
struggled for ten days to obtain protection for Division leaders.
By agitating and conducting Dharnas in front of Distribution companies for 9

86
days we could able to succeed in getting better remuneration ESI and EPF
benefits for ―Meter Readers‖ and ―Bill Collector‖ in Electricity section. Even for
―Loading‖ and ―unloading workers strike a 13 days struggle including hunger
strike had to be done to get their ESI and P.F. benefits.
Classes :
In October, 2016 3days classes were conducted at Guntur to educate the cadre
where around 190 corrodes attendee from all over the state.
Again in January, 2017 3 days classes were conducted in Nellore where 220
Comrades attended
Relief for Union bearers :
Inspite of Court orders, the management is not giving proper relief of duty to the
union leaders of cadre to carryout union activities.
Diary :
Every year we are making calendar and diary with educative information with latest
G.Os service regulations etc., and distributing among all the members of our union.
State Committee Meetings :
State Committee meetings are being held regularly once in every two months.
Seminars :
During the state conference, we have conducted seminar on Electricity
Regulatory reforms bill.
A seminar was conducted on 2014 Reforms Bill in Chennai and 100 Comrade
attend from Andhra Pradesh for the project work held in Kochi of Kerala 10
Comrades attended. For the senior held in Delhi on equal wages for equal work,
50 comrades attended from our state.

87
 KSEB OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

Organisation

K SEB Officers‘ association is the largest association of officers in Kerala State Electricity
Board Limited. Presently KSEBOA has 2726 members out of about 4500 officers of
KSEBL. Out of the total memmbership 822 members are
women. In addition to campaigns directly conducted, various activities are being
organised through sub committies.
Sub committees
Social media sub committee is instrumental in campaigning power sector related
issues through social media and web site. KSEB Officers Association widely
uses social media for effective communication between its members.
Power quiz sub committee conducts one of the largest quiz competitions in
power sector. Around 25,000 students of colleges , poly technics and higher
secondary schools participate in Power quiz. Career Development programme
sub committee organises several classes / work shops / site visits in various
technical, legal, management subjects.
―KSEBOA News magazine‖ is a monthly published by KSEBOA. It provides
latest development in power sector. This is the first magazine published in a
regional language using open source DTP software ―Scribus‖. We had published
several books useful for officers and employees in power sector. Books on
―Electricity metering‖, ―E-Tender‖, Malayalam version of Supply Code 2014 are
some published by us in recent years.
KSEB Officers‘ Association started a reasearch cum study centre named Institute
for Sustainable Development and Energy Studies(In-SDES) and its campus is
constructed at Shornur, in Palakkad district. The campus was inaugurated by M B
Rajesh M.P, member of Parliament standing committee on enegy, on 8th May 2017.
KSEBOA is having 30 percent women members. There is a womens‘
subcommittee which takes up various activities including study camps,
campaigns etc focussing on empowering women. Now more than 20% of our
state level committee members are from women.
Consumer clinic sub committee is conducting various consumer related
activities like safety awareness programmes in schools, energy conservation
activities, customer surveys etc. Public campaigns on Electricity Act is one of the
majour activity taken up by this subcommittee. We have an active cultural
subcommittee. There are cutural clubs in all districts under this subcommittee.
They are organising cultural meets, discussions on various cultural and social
issues. Cultural subcommittee was instrumental in organising state level
Kalajathas. During this conference period, 3 such Jathas were organised.
KSEB Officers association is also changing to adapt the mindset of new

88
employees, with out compromising the ideology. Our sub committee activities are
organised in such a way that each member has involvement in their own
interested areas. We are actively campaigning to make KSEBOA an organisation
representing 100% officers in KSEB.
Re-organisation of Kerala State Electricity Board
During this conference period, Kerala State Electricity Board was restructured
into a single company owning generation, transmission and distribution assets
with out unbundling, fully owned by the state Government. This was achieved by
overcoming heavy pressures from central government as well as congress led
UDF government of the state, for unbundling.
From 2003 onwards KSEB Officers Association is strongly campaigning
against unbundling of Kerala State Electricity Board. Left democratic front
Government from 2006 to 2011 supported this campaign, maintaining KSEB as a
single entity in public sector. In 2008, Central government declined to extend the
date for reorganisation of KSEB. But the LDF government in rule during that
period, managed the situation by vesting the assets of KSEB into the
government. During 2011, when the ministry was changed and congress led
UDF came to power, moves for unbundling the sector got some momentum. But,
we could oppose this move uniting all employees, including INTUC. Due to this
stiff resistance, government was forced to accept the demands put forth by the
joint forum, and decided to keep the sector as a single entity. A tripartiate
agreement was executed ensuring continuance of service conditions as well as
pension to the employees by constituting a pension fund. The re-vesting of
assets from government to the company was formalised by 31st Otober 2013.
Total Electrification Campaign
In May 2016, Left Democratic Government came back to power in Kerala. Issues
in Electricity sector was one important campaign point diring the election. KSEB
Officers‘ Association along with Workers‘ Association took a good role in this
campaign.
Total Electrification of the house holds was one among the promises put forth
by LDF, in its manifesto. Total Electrification was in agenda during previous LDF
ministry itself. During that period, 85 assembly constituencies out of 140 were
completely electrified. Four districts were declared totaly electrified. But during
the UDF regime, 2011-16, all these activities were stalled. This was the context
that LDF included total electrification in its manifesto.
As per national standards, total electrification means electrifying at least 10% of
households in a village. Butin Kerala, by total electrification it is decided to electrify
each and every household in the state. For this purpose a survey was conducted to
identify unelectrified houses. 1,53,000 such houses were identified. But the task was
not so easy, since most of these houses were situated at remote locations. An

89
intensive program was launched during August 2016, to complete the work by March,
2017. Line extension works were completed on a warfoot basis. But electrifying the
houses were still a challange, since more than 70,000 houses were un wired.
The employees associations of KSEB, took this as a challenge and organised the
wiring of the houses mobilising funds from local self government, charitable
organisations and individuals. The employees organisations itself had wired about
5000 houses. Our association took up the wiring of 350 houses. Altogether, more
than 40,000 houses were got wired during this campaign. Still about 30000 houses
were remained unwired during March 2017. KSEB had decided to take up the wiring
of these houses as part of its corporate responsibililty. By May 2017, the total
electrification campaign was concluded as a success.
KSEBOA took part an active role in this campaign. We had organised 7
Jathas reaching all assemby constituencies of the state. Street play displaying
the message of total electrification, Kerala model of development and various
developmental initiatives of the LDF government was the attraction of the Jathas.
The Jathas were covered 150 centers altogether.
Governmental initiatives in Power sector
At present Peak load demand of Kerala is around 4000MW with an anual energy
demand of of about 24,000 MU. About 70% of this demand was met from national
grid, with only 30% from internal generation. This affects the energy security of the
state badly. At this juncture, increasing internal generation is very important agenda
for power sector of Kerala. Kerala got limited options for power generation. Only
avilable source is hydel. But there are heavy objections against hydel projects from
environmental activists. Hence it became necessary to campaign the importance of
power projects, and we had organised various programs in this direction.
During last LDF ministry, construction of some important projects such as
Pallivasal Extention (60MW), Thottiyar (40MW) and various small hydel projects
were started. But all these projects were stalled during 2011-16 UDF period. After the
inception of LDF ministry, all these projects got restarted. Also the construction of a
200MW solar park is progressing with 36 Mws already connected to the grid.
Rs.10,000 crore transmission development project named Transgrid 2.0
is also launched, aimed at revamping of transmission network of the state.
Several inititiatives are being taken to ensure best level of customer service
using latest IT infrastructure and softwares under open source platform.
Campaigns against Electricity Act ammendment
When the draft amendment to Electricity Act 2003 was released in 2013, KSEB
Officers Association formed a sub committee to study the content in detail. As
per the sub committee report, a memorandum was submitted to State power
minister during November 2013, compelling the state government to take a pro-
people stand on the bill.

90
 KSEBOA participated in all the agitations planned by EEFI and NCCOEEE.
As part of it district level Dharnas were conducted on 21st February 2014. 11
members from our organisation took part in the parliament march organised on
8th December 2014. On December 2014 was observed as black day by
NCCOEEE and our organisation took part in the protest by wearing badges.
KSEB Officers‘ Association conducted a panel discussion on 8th February
2015, on the ammendment bill. Parliament energy standing committee member
Sri. MB Rajesh inugurated the discussion. KSEBOA president B Pradeep
presented the main paper. KSEB CMD Sri. M. Sivasankaran, IAS, former
regulatory commission members Sri. P Parameswaran, Mathew George
participated in the discussion. Association conducted 4 regional workshops on
the issue at Kottayam, Kollam, Thrissur and Thalassery. All these activities were
helpful in organising effective campaign against the ammendment bill.
NCCOEEE conducted a march to the venue of the Power ministers‘ conference held
at Kochi on 6th November 2015 raising the slogan against amendment on Electricity Act.
Around 15,000 employees from power sector participated in the march. 850 members of
KSEBOA participated in the march. Manik Dey, Power minister of Thripura addressesed
the gathering along with NCCOEEE leaders. KSEBOA along with Workers‘ Association
played a pivotal role in organising this March and the march was so successful in
freezing further action from government on the bill.
EEFI activities
KSEBOA took a pivotal role in EEFI activities in Kerala. It took active role in organising
working committee of EEFI at Wynad, Kerala during 2014. Delegates from KSEBOA
attended national, state and regional level conventions on equal work, equal wage.

National Strikes
KSEBOA actively participated in national strikes on 2nd September 2015 and
2016. About 85% of Officers in KSEB participated in both the strikes. Members of
KSEBOA participated in full except few were spared for emergency duties.
State Conferences
Three state conferences of KSEBOA were conducted during this conference period.
As a general policy, in every state conference, 20% of office bearers will be new
faces so as to ensure active participation of young generation, with minimum 20% of
office bearers and central committee members reserved for women.
18th State conference of the association was held at Kanhangad on 5 th and 6th.
October 2013. 19th conference was held at Thodupuzha on 11th and 12th September 2015
and 20th State conference at Palakkad from on 11 to 13th of May, 2017. 431 delegates
attended the last conference. Out of which 107 were women. J Sathyarajan was selected
as President and Lathish PV was selected as General Secretary.

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 DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION
ACTIVITY REPORT

D amodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is the 1st Public Sector and multipurpose
Valley Project of independent India which was constituted by the Parliament through the DVC
River

Act of 1948 with the aims and objects of Flood Control of the River, Damodar and its
tributaries, Supply of water for Irrigation/ Agricultural, Domestic and Industrial purposes and
also Generation of Power along with the subsidiary activities like Soil Conservation,
Afforestation, Pisciculture, Agricultural Research etc. It is jointly owned by the three
Governments viz the Central Govt & the two State Governments of West Bengal & Jharkhand
(previously Bihar)
and is operated/controlled by Government of India.
Since inception DVC has played a glorious role in up-liftment of the people and
the socio-economic development in the entire region of Damodar Valley which is
spread over more than ten districts in the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
But now due to shifting from the main objectives of this multi purpose project and
pruning of the original plan there is the virtual stoppage of Soil Conservation and
Afforestation works. As a result, in one side, the river bed along with the dams
has been dangerously silted resulting abnormal reduction of the water flow of the
river as well as the storage capacity of the existing dams creating crisis of water
required for Agriculture, Industry and Domestic purpose to alarming proportion. It
is apprehended that in the near future the flood control measures will be
miserably failed occurrences of devastating floods again followed by immense
loss of property and wealth and sufferings to crores of people of the region.
To overcome the above problems the immediate tasks are to strengthen the
activities of the soil conservation department, and also to increase the storage
capacity of existing 4 dams by using modern technology for de-siltation along
with judicious water resource management and to undertake construction of rest
3 dams (2nd stage) as per the original plan. It is also to be noted that the source
of water here is only rain fall for which some environment friendly measures like
afforestation etc. should be taken. This will also increase employment potential.
DVC has been supplying power (HT) to the bulk consumers from its Hydel
(based on Dams) and Thermal Power Stations, which is the main sorces of
earning of it. Since inception, DVC gradually commissioned many modern power
plants in this region like Bokaro TPS (1953), Durgapur TPS (1960), Chandrapura
TPS (1964), Mejia TPS (1991), etc. During last few years DVC has also installed
some new power plants at Kodarma, Jharkhand (1000 MW), at Andal (WB) 1000
MW and at Raghunathpur, West Bengal 2520 MW after borrowing money from
other financial institutions.

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Now in the name of reforms and economic crisis there is an attempt to hand over
/ disinvest the DVC‘s new Thermal Power Station at Raghunathpur, Purulia,
West Bengal to other agencies.
Same kind of attempt was made two decades ago to sell the then newly constructed
210MW Units of Mejia Thermal Power Station , Bankura Dist of West Bengal to
TATA , which was foiled due to vigorous movement of workers under the leadership
of the DVC Shramik Union(CITU) . But later on, in another case, the TATA became
successful to manage 74% share of DVC‘s the then Proposed Thermal Power
Project at Maithon Right Bank (Jharkhand) a decade ago with the help of Govt. of
India in spite of sustain protests of our union. Now again it is reported that in lieu of a
private organization the DVC board has decided to disinvest/hand over the 2,520 -
MW Raghunathpur Thermal Power plant to a PSU, NLPC, while the Phase – I (2 X
600MW = 1200MW) was declared its commercial generation on December 2016 and
already spent Rs. 6,000 crore on the Phase-I and Rs 500 crore for the Phase II (2 X
660MW = 1,320 MW) of the same project (RTPS) for which DVC has already taken
about 3,000 acres of land in its possession. But the DVC authority wants to hand
over this Project on plea of acute financial crunch on account of above borrowing.
The argument of the management is that disinvestment of RTPS would help reducing
the debt burden on the Corporation by Rs. 6,000 crore and interest savings @ Rs. 80
crore per month. But NLPC will not take any responsibility of the entire debt of the
said Project. As a result DVC will be looser.
In this connection it is stated that due to management‘s negligence towards
commissioning the new projects in scheduled time, the Corporation has lost huge
amount of revenues even upto several thousand crores of rupees by way of non-
availability of generation of power from those projects. Moreover the
management does not take proper steps for improvement of Plant Load Factor
(PLF) of output of existing power plants and to reduce the avoidable losses,
backing down of available capacity, specific consumption of Fuel (Coal/ Oil),
generation cost, etc. for marketing of the available Power at lower tariff.
It has also been learned that processing /discussions for the handing over the
transmission & distribution system to the respective State Govt are being made
at the corporate level. It is to be mentioned here that Damodar Valley
Corporation has wide transmission & distribution net work spread over State of
West Bengal & Jharkhand and such net work are also connected with National
Grid for supplying power to different power utilities and States all over the
Country. The transmission system of DVC has been considered as unified/
deemed inter-state transmission system by the appropriate authority.
In fine, to save DVC it should be the immediate task of the unions / Associations of
DVC employees and officers to unite and chalk-out joint programmes of movement to
pursue the participating Govts. Specially GOI, to amend their policies detrimental to
the interest / declared aims & objects of DVC as DVC is practically administered,

93
controlled and guided by the rules / policies of GOI.
Organization:
At present there are about 5,500 regular workers and about 10,000 indirect
workers engaged in DVC. Our membership among regular workers is 1935 as on
31.12.2016 (near about 35%) of regular employees & 10% (1002) of indirect
employees. As per the first Trade Union Election in DVC we have become one of
the recognized unions obtaining 2nd positions in the year 2013. Next Election will
be held on July 2017, when as per present status, we may look 1st position.
To defeat the Shramik Union (CITU) a Joint Morcha had been constituted under the
leadership of DVC SA (UTUC). BMS, AITUC, HMKP & other Union join in the Morcha.
However, it is pertinent to mention here that the DVC Shramik Union is continuously
oppose the aforesaid decisions & anti labour activities of DVC management. We have
organized Relay Hunger Strike, Stay in demonstration, Mass Demonstration, the
programme of Human Chain in front of DVC Head Quarters and so on. Recently we have
organized 3 (Three) days Hunger Strike from 14th June to 16th June 2017 at all the
Thermal Power Project except RTPS to achieve our demands like Implementation of New
Promotion Policy for non-executives & Up- gradation of unskilled workers of DVC as per
MOU which was signed in between Recognized Unions and Management, along with
equal wages for equal works for the Contractors
/ daily rated workers of DVC. We can proudly demand that all the programmes of
our union were successfully completed with the huge participation of DVC workers.

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 WORK REPORT OF COTEE

T he 7th Conference of EEFI held at Kancheepuram from 10th to 12th of August

2013. The report on the activities undertaken before that was sub-mitted before
the delegates to the Conference.
7th Conference of EEFI at Kancheepuram
The conference was historical as it highlighted the traditional and cultural
speciality of the state. The exhibition kept in the conference and was viewed by
public, students, employees of the electricity board, etc.
The rally and public meeting with the participation of more than 6000 was
enthusing. Participation of delegates from Vietnam, South Africa and Nepal in the
Conference was expressing the international solidarity.
The decisions of the conference were implemented in the State of Tamilnadu by
undertaking the following activities.
Status of the TNEB
TNEB which was having a production capacity of only 256 MW in the initial days,
as on 31-03-2016 has a capacity of 17976.48 MW. By the end of 2016, it has
1499 sub stations, 2 Lakh KM HT lines, 6.10 Lakh LT lines, 264029 transformers.
Total number of consumers with TNEB is 2 crore 75 lakhs.
In the beginning, the revenue of the Board was Rs.400 crores and now in 2015,
2016, this has increased to Rs.49,545.51 crores.
By way of restructuring the Board, it was converted into a Company ―TNEB
Limited‖ and bifurcation as TANGEDCO and TANTRANSCO was announced.
However, because of the efforts of COTEE, it could not be implemented.
December 2013 – Delhi Convention
Hundreds of Comrades from the State participated in the Convention.
NCCOEEE
On 27-02-2014, demonstrations were held by mobilizing hundreds of employees
in front of the Head Office in Chennai and the circle offices throughout the State
and the role of COTEE is significant.
October 14, 2014 – NCCOEEE Campaign
Campaign was taken throughout the State highlighting the demands, viz., Bring
out necessary amendments to the Electricity Act 2003, Do not implement
Outsourcing and contractualisation, Pay equal wages for equal work, Distribute
uninterrupted quality electricity to all. Participation of more than 7000 employees
in the campaign is appreciable.

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 08-12-2014 Delhi Rally
From TN 500 comrades participated in the Rally, out of which more than 150
were mobilized by COTEE.
14-07-2015 – South Zone Convention
72 from Kerala, 80 from AP, 20 from Telengana, 30 from Pondicherry, 20 from
Karnataka participated in the Convention. More than 700 comrades participated
from Tamilnadu. Leaflets were printed in both Tamil and English and distributed.
06-11-2017 – COCHIN RALLY
When the Meeting of the Electiricity Ministers held in Cochin, a rally was
conducted condemning the bifurcation of Electricity Board. More than 1200
comrades participated in it from Tamilnadu.
26-05-2017 - Delhi Convention on ―Equal wage for Equal work‖
From COTEE, good number of comrades participated in the Convention.
However, self-critically we agree that some more efforts should have been taken
for mobilization.
ALL INDIA STRIKES ON SEP 2, 2015 & SEP 2, 2016
For the success of the above two strikes, Office bearers meeting, Regional /and
Branch Committee Meeting, etc. were held. COTEE took efforts to make the other
Union Branch also to participate in the strike and succeeded in it.
By printing 90,000 notices, 2500 posters, displaying more than 100 digital
banners, campaign about the strike was taken amongst more than 70,000
Officers, Engineers and employees working in TNEB.
In 2015 strike 34,822 employees and in 2016 strike, 32912 employees participated.
In the last minute, BMS-NLO Unions withdrew from the strike.
On both the years, strike on the particular day viz., Sep 2, created a sense of
observing some day.
Wage Revision Agreement
The salary for the employees, officers and Engineers working in the Electricity Board
was to be revised from 01-12-2011. On 09-01-2014, negotiation was held with the
Management and agreement was signed. Continuous struggle, insistence by Left
MLAs within the Assembly paved way for this agreement. Late CM of TN unilaterally
announced wage revision on 02-01-2014 and this was rejected by us. Demanding
certain modifications, we carried out certain programmes. After that, through tripartite
agreement was signed which contained the changes which have proposed by us.
Through this agreement,
• The daily wage of contract worker was increased from Rs.120/- to Rs.250/-
• Time scale was given to Part-time workers. More than 5000 employees were
benefited through this.

96
• New posts were created.
• Training period was reduced
• Grade pay for some categories were altered.
This agreement has come to an end on 30-11-2015. From 01-12-2015, we are
demanding a wage revision as per the recommendations of VII Pay Commission,
minimum salary of Rs.18,000/- maximum monetary benefit of Rs.6000/-.
Programmes are being observed on these demands and negotiations with the
Government is also going on.
TIRUVANNAMALAI CONFERENCE
The 15th State Conference of COTEE was held from 13th to 16th of August 2016
in Tiruvannamalai. The Conference was inaugurated by the then President of
CITU, Com. AK Padmanaban. Comrades P N Chowdry General Secretary of
EEFI and Lakshmanan Secretary of KSEBWA greeted the conference. Leaders
of Fraternal TUs also greeted the conference.
As a part of the conference, Seminars on topics viz., ―If we understand us,
understand the politics‖, ―Break the barriers and Unite the class‖, Unity of
Electricity Employees and Peasants‖ were held. In the rally on the last day of the
Conference, more than 10,000 participated.
Implementing the decisions of the Conference, on the various pending issues,
drawing the attention of the Government, on December 22, in the Name of mass
representation all the gates were closed. Nobody was allowed to go out of office,
discussion and settlement was arrived written assurance was given on the issues.
22-12-2016 – Agitation
On the demands of save of Electricity Board as Public Sector, give up the
amendment to Electricity Bill 2015, pending issues of the employees, etc., agitation
was held in front of the HO of the electricity Board. With the participation of more
than 8000 comrades assembled in both the front and back entrance of the premises.
During the course of agitation, we were called for discussions. After discussions, on
the issues of promotion, wage revision, transparency in transfer, regularizing the
contract workers, etc., an agreement was signed. This agitation is a milestone in the
history of COTEE. Through this struggle, our image amongst the officers and
employees has improved and the organization has also gained their confidence.
Category groups
Category-wise groups have been formed and separate discussions was held and
their demands were listed. Separate agitations are being carried out on their
demands and could succeed in them.
TNPEO Conference
A separate organization by name Tamilnadu Power Engineers Orgnisation has been

97
formed for the Engineers working in the TNEB and this has been affiliated to COTEE.
More than 600 Engineers are members in it. The 5th Conference of this Organisation
was held in August 12th of 2016 and our General Secretary has participated in it.
VARDHA CYCLONE
On December 12, 2016, when Vardha Cyclone hit Chennai, 30,000 electiricity
posts, 526 transformers got damaged. Within 10 days, we set right the things and
won the goodwill of the people of the city. Government and also the officials of
the Board, congratulated us. Apart from intervening in restoring the normalcy in
power supply in the city, COTEE also collected fund from our employees and
distributed relief materials, viz., clothes, food items, bedsheet, etc., to the
affected people. Around 60 Lakhs was collected in cash and kind.
Donations to Fraternal Unions
We extended our help to DREU during the elections held for recognition of Union
during April 25,26 2014. Similarly, we helped the NLC elections also. COTEE
extended its solidarity to the TN Transport Workers‘ Union during their agitations
demanding Bonus and Wage revision. Rs.50,000 was donated to the Haryana
Maruti Workers who are on agitation.
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF COTEE
COTEE wants its member to be a person who fights not only for his economic
demands, but also the one who fights for a change in the system of the society.
For this, steps are being taken up to establish and run tuition centres for the use
of oppressed and dalit sections.
Family Get together meetings are conducted and in those meetings, left views
are being disseminated amongst them.
PARLIAMENTARY AND ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
During the Assembly elections, for the 25 candidates who contested from
CPI(M), Rs.25 Lakhs were donated from the State Centre. Around Rs.30 Lakhs
were donated by the Districts and around 1300 comrades involved in the election
campaign supporting these candidates.
Regularisation of Contract Workers
On this issue, COTEE is mobilising both the permanent employees and
temporary workers in a single umbrella. Since 1970, more than 72000 workers
have been regularized because of the efforts taken by COTEE. In strategic
sectors, if the contract workers are not regularized, then the permanent
vacancies would become a question mark. Realising this, COTEE takes efforts to
unite both of them and carry forward the struggle on this issue.

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 E.P.F. Case – Historical Vicotry to COTEE
Cotee filled a petition to Provident Fund Commissioner, regarding the E.P.F.
Subscription is so far not recovered from the Contract Employees, by the TNEB.
It is against Provident Fund act 1952. A Punch of list has prepared and submitted
to the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner on 2004. After our prolonged
discussion, the Regional Provident Fund Commissioners ordered, to recover the
amount from the TNEB.
However the board has submitted a Petition to the Commissioner, for exemption.
But, the Provident Fund Commissioner rejected, the TNEB appealed. After that,
TNEB has approached to the High Court, Honourable High Court dismissed TNEB‘s
Petition. Again TNEB approached division bench of High Court. Division bench of
Honourable High Court Chennai also rejected and reviewed the Cotee Petition.
In the mean while, TNEB gone to Supreme Court on 2009 and filled a S.L.P. On
20.07.2017 the Honourable Supreme Court dismissed the S.L.P. filled by the
TNEB. As per the judgement 22528 Contract Workers those who are listed by
Cotee is eligible for Provident Fund Pension / Family Pension. It is a great Victory
to COTEE
ORGANISATION
COTEE is focusing its attention on issue of membership enrolment. The
membership in 2013 was 24,619, in 2014 it was 27,831, in 2015-29,823 and in
2016 it was 27421. We are taking efforts to strengthen the organization. Though
new recruitments are not there, we are able to maintain our membership. In
TNEB, COTEE is developing as a deciding force. We are also taking steps to
reach the unreached.

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 BRIEF REPORT OF SOME MAJOR ACTIVITIES
IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR IN POWER SECTOR
SINCE LAST THREE YEARS

STRUGGLE AGAINIST UN-BUNDLING AND OTHER ISSUES.

J &K Central Non- Gazetted Electrical Employees Union held its State commit
meeting at Jammu on 10thJauary 2014 and decided to start the member ship drive for
tee

2014 and also to launch an awareness campaign against the Un-bundling of the Power
Sector in J&K State.We met Principal Secretary Power on 16th Jan. 2014 at New
Secretariat Jammu and apprised him regarding the anti-people and anti-employees
decision of the Govt. on un-bundling of Power Sector and conveyed him our opposition
on the issue and also discussed some burning demands of power employees and
workers. The meeting was cordial and the Prin-cipal Secretary assured the delegation to
settle some of the issues but was very clear on un-bundling issue and told the delegation
that the Govt. has already taken
a decision.

EEFI CONVENTION AND MARCH TO PARLIAEMENT AT DELHI

ON 11TH & 12TH JAN 2014
Ten activists from our organisation JKCNGEEU attended the convention
organised by EEFI at Delhi on 11th Jan and the same delegation also took part in
March to parliament programme on 12thJanuary.
CAMPAIGHN AGAINST UN-BUNDLING IN POWER SECTOR.

We launched the campaign against un-bundling of power sector from 10th to

15th February 2014 at Jammu and 2nd, April to 15th,April 2014 in Kashmir
divisions and organised dozens of Gate meetings at different major Electric
complexes at Janipur,canal power house, Gladney,Panama Chowk Parade
Jammu and com-plexes at 220 kv Grid station at Pampore,Ganderbal,Baramula
and Kulgam Elec-tric complexes and divisions.sb-divisions in Kashmir and
contacts hundreds of em-ployees and workers and made them aware about the
disastrous impact on the service rights of all employees and also in power sector.
SEMINAR AGAINIST UN-BUNDLING

We also organised two Seminars against unbundling issue at Kulgam and Ganderbal
Districts on 22nd, March and 5th May 2014 which were attended by large number of
Engineers of the departments including Trade Union Activists. The campaign against

100
remained very effective and employees fully cooperated and assured to fight
back this decision.
MEETING WITH CHIEF MINISTER OF J&K STATE.

A delegation of JKCNGEEU met Hon‘ble Chief Minister of J&K State on 16th

June 2014 and submitted him a demand charter and also expressed our concern
on the Govt‘s decision of Un-bundling .He assured the delegation to look into all
the issues raised in the demand charter.
DEVASTATING FLOOD IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR
AND OUR RECENT ACTIVITIES

A devastating flood has caused hundreds of lives and huge destruction worth bil-
lions in Jammu and Kashmir. This flood came on 5th & 6th, September 2014 due to
flash floods in hills and heavy rainfall which continued for six days since 2nd
Sept.The historic city of Srinagar was so badly effected and 90% of the city was
submerged under water and most of the building, Shopping Malls and almost all
Govt. offices including Civil Secretariat and high court, Legislative complex remained
under 20 feet water for at least 15-20 days resulting in total collapse of Govt.
machinery ,Business activities and about 10 lakh people became homeless and
forced to take shelter in nearby areas. Even human bodies along with animals and
household items were flowing in the water together in the River Jhelum. Such flood
has not been witnessed in recent history in Kashmir. In Jammu region also huge
devasta-tion has taken place in many areas particularly in two Districts of Rajouri and
Punch where over two hundred people died during flash floods. The Youth of
Kashmir,Army and National disastrous managementJawans played a commendable
role in rescu-ing the people during the flood and saved thousands of lives particularly
elders, children, men and women.
Activists of JKCNGEEU played important role in rescuing people in different
areas and helped in organizing relief and medical camps with the help and
support of All India State Govt Employees Federation (AISGEF), at different
places and provided food, shelter and cash assistance in association with J&K
Co-ordination committee of trade unions (JKCCTU) and also in restoration of
water, power and other essen-tial supplies to the effected people with the locals.
28TH ANNIVERSARY OF JKCNGEEU

J&K Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union (JKCNGEEU) observed its

28TH Anniversary year by holding rallies and demonstrations at Electric Complex
Srinagar and Rani Park Jammu both Capital Cities of J&K State on 18th January
2014 which was attended by hundreds of employees and workers. The speakers

101
while narrating the long experience of struggling history of the organization also
explained the challenges before the employees in general and power employees
in particular and urged them to strengthen their unity to intensify struggle.
2ND SEPTEMBER 2015 STRIKE BY ELECTRICITY
EMPLOYEES IN J&K STATE
The 2nd, September 2015 Strike called by Central Trade Unions and Employees
Federations especially by EEFI was successfully conducted in Jammu and Kash-
mir State. There were around 50% employees and workers who struck work in
Govt. and Public Sector employees including Electricity workers throughout the
State. Electricity employees in particular responded to the strike call in a
magnificent way and there was around 50% employees including Temporary
workers on strike and joined the rallies and demonstrations under the Banner of
JKCNGEEU& J&K Co-ordination Committee of Trade Unions JKCCTU in
different areas particularly in Srinagar and Jammu cities.
Prior to Strike our Union in Power Sector namely J&K Non- Gazetted Electrical
Employees Association conducted dozens of Gate meetings in different Electric
complexes, Tehsil and District Head Quarters independently and together with
JKCCTU and distributed thousands of leaflets and posters to mobilize the strike
in which our leaders explained the disastrous results of Neo-liberal Economic
and Anti-working class policies and explained the demand charter adopted by the
Cen-tral Trade Unions. We also explained the dangerous implications of
Electricity Amend-ment Bill 2014 and the problems of workers in power sector in
these meetings. A convention of Trade Unions was also held jointly on 13 August
at Srinagar which was attended by Vice President EEFI Com Subash Lambha
and participated by electricity workers in good number apart from other Govt. and
public Sector em-ployees despite severe restrictions in the city on that day
because of 15TH, August celebrations.
JKCNGEEU OPPOSEED UN-BUNDLING AND INTENCIFIED
STRUGGLE IN POWER SECTOR.

Jammu &Kashmir Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union expressed its

serious concern over the State Govt‘s move to un-bundle the Existing power devel-
opment department and formation of companies to facilitate the Privatisation of this
life line of the State.. This move will not only aggravate the present power crises of
the State but will be very harmful to the economy, general public and the employees
of this industry. Our union J&K Non Gazetted Electrical Employees Association
(JKNGEEA) took initiative and formed a joint platform of different Unions in power
sector of Jammu and Kashmir and decided to launch struggle to oppose this move.

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Two big demonstrations were held at Jammu press club on 5th February and on
7th, March 2016 at press Gali Srinagar warned the Govt. and demanded to with-
draw this decision.
2ND SEPTEMBER 2016 STRIKE AND KASHMIR TURMOIL

Comrades in a very complicated situation we had to organize the 2nd Sept. Strike in
the Jammu and Kashmir State. We had already started preparations for the strike in
Kashmir by organizing district level programs and conventions but soon after the
situation became worse we were not able to leave even the homes and everything
was halted because of continuous Hartal and Curfew in the entire valley.Even the
remote corners of the Kashmir was under complete shut down since 8thJuly and all
offices, and institutions remained almost closed except the essential services like
water, Electricity and Hospital were functioning and the employees were risking their
lives in this situation. But despite this turmoil we were able to organize the Strike in
Jammu region and we had to concentrate in Jammu even in a very difficult situation
where the Jammu Srinagar National highway was blocked during the last 15 days
and were able to successfully organize the Action program. We were able to involve
one major employee‘sorganization of Jammu region called Employees Joint Action
Committee ® and held series of meetings, held Joint Press Conference on 30th of
August at Jammu and declared Strike .We also held dozens of gate meetings and
conducted intensive campaign in major complexes of Jammu city before the Strike.

On 2nd September in Jammu the employees and workers observed a complete

Strike in Govt. and Semi-Govt. departments/institutions especially the Electricity
employees throughout the region and held massive demonstrations and rallies at
District/ Tehsil Head Quarters. The Major Electric and other Complexes of Jammu
city had a deserted look. The call of Strike was given by Central Trade unions espe-
cially by EEFI and All India State Govt. Employees Federation (AISGEF) and en-
dorsed by JKCNGEEU, Employees Joint Action Committee ® and J & K Co-ordina-
tion Committee of Trade Unions (JKCCTU ) on 12 point charter of demands like Full
Implementation of Labour Laws, to ensure minimum wage of Rs 18000 pm for all
temporary workers and their regularization, Implementation of 7th, Pay Commis-sion
report in the State after removing Anti-employees measures ,stop privatization,
outsourcing, casual and contract system etc.

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 ACTIVITY REPORT OF TRIPURA

S ince 7th National Conference of EEFI at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, our union chalked
out many agitational programs on policy issues, scrapping/review of Electricity Act 2003,
privatization/corporation as well as on immediate and urgent issues, we remain on the path of
agitation all the time. We have implemented all the decision of EEFI and other fraternal
organization of state. It is a matter of pride that despite a lot of change in the entire scenario
our union became more united and revolutionary, takes challenges of capitalist, monopolist
and the danger-ous threat of communalism and observed militant and organized fight to intact
the
right of working class.
Major movement.

i) To lodge strong protest against amendment bill of Electricity ACT, 2003 placed
in the parliament, TBKU exult state-wide ―Black Day‖ by wearing badge. Union
also sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India and Central Minister for
Power, Govt. of India.
ii) TBKU conducted Joint Seminar on ―Electricity Sectors‖ with the two Engi-
neering Associations of Tripura in Nov, 2014 at Agartala where the members of
the organizations and people of working class and dignitaries were assembled.
iii) A ―Convention‖ was conducted by TBKU to popularize struggle against the
most anti people Bill being placed before the Parlament in view to Ammendment
of the Electrcity Act `2003 in presence of our respected General Secretary, EEFI.
iv) Union conducted many Deputation/ submission of memorandum with mass
sig-nature since 7th conference of EEFI to the level of Power Minister/Principal
Secretary(Power)/ CMD,TSECL/ AGM / DGM to solve the issues related to the
workers. Beside this, Gana-abastlan/ Convention/ Patha-sava/ protestation etc.
Were also conducted in many issues against neo-liberal policy adopted by the
Central Govt.
Protest demonstration in solidarity to Militant struggle of
Power workers of Haryana:
On 29th June 2016, we had organised a program of demonstration/protest at Agartala in
solidarity to our valiant striking Power Workers of Haryana against imposition of
undemocratic draconian ESMA to demoralize the workers. About 400 members were
assembled in this immediate protest at Agartala to extend moral and active support to the
struggling Power Workers of Haryana against the anti-people deci-sion adopted by the
Haryana Government led by BJP. Beside this, We also sent e-

104
mail to Haryana Chief Minister/Central Labour Minister requesting for withdrawal
of the draconian rule ESMA from Power Workers of Haryana and amicable settle-
ment of the dispute immediately. We also circulate the leaflet on Haryana struggle
and development among the workers of our Union in every unit.

Participation of strike in 2nd September 2015 & 2016

We had successfully participated in the All India General Strike on 2nd Sept, 2015
& 2016 at the call of Central T.Us and Federation for adopting anti-people policy
by the Central Govt. keeping power supply steady considering the interest of the
people as well as pro-people activities of Left-front Government of Tripura. In this
context, we had organised several programs jointly with CITU and Tripura
Employees Co-ordination Committee (H.B.Road) and of our own organisation
basis like gate meet-ings, office-wise general meeting, convention, street corner,
hall meetings etc. throughout the state for success of the General strike. Thus it
became a magnifi-cent strike in Tripura.
Trade Union Class.

To educate the leaders and members in order to carrying out the activities of
union straightforwardly, Trade Union class have been organized on the basis of
subject (such as communalism / increasing intolerance in our Country and
method / rules and regulation in execution of organization activities) in the state.
The members attended the class with enthusiasm. It is a continuous process.
Social and cultural activities of TBKU

TBKU arranged the Blood donation Camps / Body and eye donation Camps time
to time as a part of social activities. It is a matter of great pride that all the
member of our union joined their hands together to make this program a grand
success. Apart from this, to encourage academic pursuits in the field of higher
education by the wards of the workers, union provides some financial relief in
specific cases consid-ering weak economic background and merit.
Women‘s Front

The women‘s sub-committee is active. Disctrict level programs were conducted

every year. The issues related to women in our country, state and society was
discussed in detail. Union always tried best and takes a firm stand to amplify the
women leadership in the field. Induction of younger workers in the Union is very
significantly improved in this time.
Consumer relation of the Union connected to distribution

A large number of members of Union tried their best to attend the call of consumer

105
to restoring the power supply immediately with the satisfaction of consumer in
distri-bution wings. They are the lifeline in establishing a fantastic relationship
between the Union and consumer.
Contractors workers

There are very few worker have been working under the control of contractors in
the wings of Revenue and maintenance other than workers who are permanent
in Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. It is relevant to mention here that our
organization is not entrusted with the State CITU. It is a constituent of Tripura
Em-ployees Co-ordination Committee. So, we are to keep in touch with State
CITU to organize them considering the importance.
Dues and affiliation fees etc.

Union has no dues and affiliation fees also been paid upto Dec,2017.
Some achievements made by the pressure of our agitation.

i) The mobile re-imbursement facilities for the workers engaged to the Line mtc.
works has been provided by the management.
ii) The contingent workers of the corporation is being regularized gradually.

iii) Compensation of Rs.3 lacs has been started for workers who died in fatal
elec-trical accident while in duty.
iv) The renovation work in the case of changing of old ACSR / Breaker / Trans-
former etc. and installation of AV Cable / laying of U.G. Cable line in City area
being implemented.
v) The system of Revenue collection has been upgraded to cope up the modern
technology in order to provide quality service to the consumers.
vi) 481 nos. Helper already recruited to Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd.
to mitigate the scarcity of workmen. In addition, corporate authority now
advert-ized to recruit 195 nos more Helpers through an interview.
Power Sector scenarios of state

Department of Power has been corporatized and Tripura State Electricity Corpora-
tion Limited (TSECL) has been formed and started operation from 1st January 2005.
As per Electricity Act' 2003 TSECL is considered as a deemed Licensee who is
responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of Power in Tripura. Sub-
sequently TSECL has taken over the entire existing network along with asset of
erstwhile Department of Power for operating and maintaining the power supply in-

106
dustry in the State of Tripura but 100% share in the hand of State Government of
Tripura. There is not any private ownership in Tripura.

Status of Power Generation in Tripura .

Own Available
Generation Installed Capacity Capacity

Rokhia GTP 3x21=63 MW 55 MW

Pick Demand 272 MW.
Baramura GTP 2x21=42 MW 42 MW

Gumti HEP 3x5=15 MW 6 MW

Total :- 113

Central Share :

Loktak KHEP Kapili Kapili-II AGBPP AGTPP DHEP RHEP Palatana Bongaigaon TOTAL
105 50 200 25 291 130 75 405 727 250 2258
PEAK

MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW
in 12.93 3.08 12.98 2.49 21.42 22.69 5.61 32.30 196.00 20.76 330.25
MW
OFF -PEAK

in % 12.31% 6.17% 6.49% 9.95% 7.36% 17.45% 7.47% 7.98% 26.97% 8.31% 14.63%
in 12.10 2.67 11.33 2.28 19.00 21.67 5.00 29.00 196.00 18.70 317.75
MW
in % 11.52% 5.34% 5.67% 9.12% 6.53% 16.67% 6.67% 7.16% 26.97% 7.48% 14.07%

State Manipur Assam Tripura Nagaland Arunachal Tripura Assam

Pradesh

Project NHPC NEEPCO OTPC NTPC

Hence, Tripura sells 100 MW surplus power to Bangladesh and might sell 100
MW additional power to Bangladesh beside its existing 100 MW power trade
agreement with the neighbouring country.

107
At a glance Tripura in Electricity Sector.

Sl.No. Description Upto 31/03/2016

1 Number of consumer 7,36,034 as on 31.03.2016

2 Length of H.T Line 14,664 C.K.M

3 Length of L.T Line 23,747 C.K.M

4 Electrified village 1165

5 Proportion of households having electricity 95%

6 Length of 132 KV Line 560 C.K.M

7 Number of 132 KV Sub-station 13

8 Length of 66 KV Line 408 C.K.M

9 Number of 66 KV Sub-station 12

10 Length of 33 KV Line 848 C.K.M

11 Number of 33 KV Sub-station 37
Growth of Domestic Electricity Consumers of Tripura in
5 years interval between 2000 & 2015.

Year Total Consumer Domestic consumer

2005 326967 276401

2010 440213 389421

2015 642999 571775

Lowest and highest tariff of Tripura for the domestic consumers
in 5 years interval between 2000 & 2015

Year Highest tariff (in Rs) Lowest tariff in (Rs)

2005 3.05 1.15

2010 3.25 1.20

2015 7.05 3.34

108
 Smart Power Meters in All Households

The Left Front government in Tripura has decided to install smart electricity con-
sumption meters up to household level across the state in a time bound manner
to ensure cent per cent collection of power bill in time. In first phase at least
45,000 conventional bill meters would be replaced with smart meters in Agartala
within the next two months. Out of 1.5 lakh odd customers‘ households smart
meters have already been installed in more than 8000 households.
World Bank has sanctioned a project of Rs. 1300 crore to Tripura for further im-
provement of power distribution network. The work has been started for Rs 1087
crore.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 72 crore for carrying out underground
cable transmission line in Agartala and a company has been appointed for
prepara-tion of Detail Project Report (DPR).
Future plan of action

Working class and Electricity workers of our country is under constant attack by
the ruling class. Union will always stand as relentless Van-guard to raise voice of
spon-taneous protest against any attack on working class or Electricity workers.
Union never deny its historical responsibility to build the country as a wealthy and
powerful nation fighting against all the evils like backwardness, inequality,
exploitation and corruption.
Within a few months next, Tripura Assembly election will take place. We believe that
an atmosphere of democratic movement is related to existence of a democratic
government. We must have to keep it in mind and inspire the working class to cast
their votes in the forthcoming assembly election of state to that direction.

109
 REPORT FROM WEST BENGAL STATE
ELECTRICITY WORKMENS UNION

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE OF WBSE WORKMENS UNION

W e have organised the electricity workers under the periphery of West Bengal State
Electricity Distribution company, West Bengal State Electricity Trans-mission
Company and West Bengal Power Development corporation Ltd
. The members of our Union have been working all over the state except the
com-mand area of Calcutta Electric Supply Company Ltd.
We have more than 500 unit level committee in the State. The above unit level
committees are functioning under 100 nos. Sub - Division committee and 25
num-bers District & 6 nos Divisional committee. The Divisional committee consist
of 5 nos Generating station and 1 no. Divisional Committee consist of Head
Quarters of above three Companies in Kolkata. The District Committee and
Divisional Commit-tee are guided by the state committee in connection with the
Trade Union activities, Social activities like Blood Donation Camp, Health Check
up camp, felicitation programme for scholar students.
UNION ACTIVITIES & MOVEMENT AFTER EEFI 7 TH CONFERANCE
After 7th Conference of EEFI our union have organised several massive Gate
Meeting, agitational programme & Demonstration against hooliganism by TMC
Goons, anti worker policy taken by the authority of WBSEDCL,WBSETCL &
WBPDCL and TMC led Government .
On 3rd & 4th April,2014 we took part in sit in demonstration programme for 48
hours with several demands on development of Industry, Consumers Services &
for the interest of Direct and indirect employees of WBSEDCL,WBSETCL &
WBPDCL, National Demand and also appealed for casting vote in favour of left
front candidate in parliament election. We started sit in demonstration
programme for 48hrs on 3rd April 2014, a memorandum and charter of demand
placed before the members of our union and the electricity employees who are
mobilize in the meeting. Comrade Debanjan Chakraborty, Comrade Somnath
Bhattacharjee, the State leaders of C.I.T.U along with other senior leader of our
union are delivered their valuable speech in the programme. Members of WBSE
Workmens Union and Paschimbanga Rajya Bidyut Silpa Sahayak Karmi Union
were participated in the meeting. 161 no selective members of our both unions
were participated in the sit in demonstration at night on 3rd April,2014.
On 4th April 2014 at 10-30 A.M the memorandum and charter of demand was placed
before the CMD, WBPDCL at Bidyut Unnayan Bhavan. Com. Prasanta Nandi
Chowdhury, leader of C.I.T.U along with other leaders of our union delivered their
speech in the gathering. After the meeting around 5000 member & employees were

110
participated in the rally from Bidyut Unnayan Bhavan to Bidyut Bhavan by raising
slogan and shoutings to join the sit in demonstration in front of Bidyut Bhavan.
Com. Shyamal Chakraborty ,President C.I.T.U,West Bengal Committee ,Com.
Dipak Dasgupta ,General Secretary of C.I.T.U,West Bengal Committee are
present in the meeting and addressed to the demonstrator with their valuable
speeches. Later a memorandum & Charter of demand placed before the C.M.D,
DCL and M.D.,TCL. After discussion with the management the leaders are
briefing the significant points of the meeting before the Workers . Com. Prasanta
Nandi Chowdhury, Com. Murari Bose, Com. Dhrubajyoti Bhowmick and Com.
Madan Chakraborty are preside over the meeting on both day.
Moreover we took part in agitational programme throughout the year in all district/
Division and also state level demanding Dearness Allowance, Revision of Pay &
allowance through the bargaining council irrespective of all employees in
WBSEDCL,WBSETCL & WBPDCL. Agitational Programme also taken against
ille-gal Transfer of our members & organizers and against implementation of
various Types of anti labour/workers policy which was adopted by the TMC led
State Gov-ernment & symentaniously by the management of WBSEDCL,
WBSETCL & WBPDCL.
We took part in agitational programme in front of Administrative Buildings at
every District/Division on 19thJanuary,2017 on the issue of illegal withdrawal of
our union representative from WBSEDCLs P.F, Gratuity and Pension fund
Trustee Board. After that on 7th February,2017 we have mobilized a massive
gathering in front of Bidyut Bhawan.
On 25th and 26th August,2014 our union participated in the sit in demonstration
programme at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Kolkata at the call of CITU. 125 nos. of
our members are attended the said programme.
End Contractorisation Day

We observed ‗End Contractorisation Day‘ along with Paschim Banga Rajya Bidyut
Shilpa Sahayak Karmi Union throughout the state on 25th October,2016. A memo-
randum was submitted originally addressed to the corporate authority through the
site authority of WBSEDCL, WBSETCL & WBPDCL. On the same day a gate meet-
ing was organized in front of Bidyut Bhawan. A memorandum was submitted to the
CMD of WBSEDCL,WBSETCL & WBPDCL from this meeting .

NCCOEEE programme
Several demands on Development of Industry, Right to use the energy at the af-
fordable cost, Consumer‘s Services, for the interest of Direct and indirect employ-
ees as well as National Demand which raised on EEFI 7th Conference were
taken through an agitation on 17th February‘14 in the District/Division level. On
21st Feb-ruary‘14 a programme was held in Kolkata at the call of N.C.C.O.E.E.E
We have participated in the agitational programme in front of Victoria House, head

111
quarter of CESC Ltd. On 6th November,2015 a meeting was called by
NCCOEEE, West Bengal chapter demanding withdrawal of the Electricity Act
(Amendment) Bill,2014 in connection with the programme which was held on the
same day at Cochin on the same issue.
We also organized an agitational programme on 6th February, 2017 in front of
Bidyut Bhavan, along with 8 other union & associations to stop the ‗Electricity Act
(Amendment) Bill 2014‘ under the banner of ― NCCOEEE‖ West Bengal Chapter.
Parliament and Assembly Election
We have organized joint meeting with Paschimbanga Rajya Bidyut Shilpa Sahayak
Karmi Union in all Division/District in the matter of Parliament Election in the year
2014 as well as Election of West Bengal Legislative Assembly in the year 2016. In
view of that, leaflet was published in support of the left & democratic candidates who
participated in those election as a candidate. Most of the leaders of our union were
involved in both the election process i.e Parliament and Assembly Election. Most of
our members are participated in the campaign & propaganda programme through the
booth level committee in both election. In this connection group meet-ings were held
in the premises of our Power plant town ship. At the electoral booth inside of our
power station township our members are involved with the work as polling agent on
behalf of left & democratic front‘s candidates. At the premises of our township area
booth, T.M.C goons were looting the votes in favour of their candidates as like every
where in West Bengal

Educational Campaign
In the memory of Com. P. S. Sundariya, Fourth Educational Campaign programme
had been organized on 26-27th july‘2014 and 30-31stAugust, 2014 as per pre-
scheduled. Selected 12nos contemporary political subject and related industrial
policy are the subject of the campaign programme. Selected speakers of our union
delivered their speech in the every Districts/Divisions on the particular matter.
General meeting had been organized like every year in all District/Divisions with
both unions i.e W.B.S.E. Workmen‘s Union and Paschimbanga Rajya Bidyut
Shilpa Sahayak Karmi Union on the selected subject on 15th August in every
year. 25nos Venues and 45 to 50 nos speakers are being selected and they are
engaged as a speakers through a workshop.
Solidarity Day of West Bengal

At the call of EEFI to observe Bengal solidarity day all over the India against the
anarchy & hooliganism in West Bengal by TMC leaded hooligans & goons who
attack our leaders/members and their family members as well as their property after
completion of the election process. Our Union along with Shilpa Shayak Karmi Union
jointly organized a state level protest meeting on 07/08/2014 at the front of Bidyut
Bhawan ,head quarter of WBSEDCL & WBSETCL . On the particular issue

112
meetings were also held at our 5 nos. Power Station and 18 nos. District.
Observation of the foundation day of CITU

We observe the foundation day of CITU on 30th May in every year through out
the state. We hosted Red Flag in every Units/Sub-Division/District & Divisions of
our State. We observed the day with respect & regards to the devotees of the
working class & class struggle movement. We also organise gate meeting ,
General meet-ing in every Sub -Division on this occasion.
Observation of May day

CITU flag is hoisted at all working places in the state for observation of May Day and
also in the District/Divisional headquarters, with mammoth gatherings with re-spect &
regards to the devotees of the working class & class struggle movement. We also
participate in the mass meeting at Sahid Minar Maidan, Kolkata and in the district
head quarters at the call of CITU, West Bengal Committee.

Observe November Revolution Day

We observe November revolution day in every year by hoisting CITU flag & chain
in every unit. In this occasion we organised general meeting by our
District/division committee for discussion about the grate November Revolution.
We also organise a Marxian book stall in front of Bidyut Bhawan and also
arrange popular lecture by the eminent speaker.
World Women‘s Day

We have organised World Women Day on 8th March in every year. In this
occasion the female employees are participated in the programme. Various
cultural perfor-mances are presented by our female employees.
National safety week

We have observing National safety week (4th to 10th March) every year since 1989.
The authority of the Electricity Co. had not opened any department of safety prior to
our programme . After that Company had taken initiative for opening Safety
Department. We used to organised seminar in the state level and also District/
Division level every year where more than 1000 nos. of our members/workers and
also members of shilpa sahayak karmi union participated. Our members and other
employees put on badges on safety related demands relating to our duties in con-
nection with maintaining and observing safety in working place.

Publication of Organ and sale of other journal

―Sathi Hatiar‖ is the journal of our Union which are published in every two months

113
interval. About 2400 copies are published and a special issue published before
the Durga Puja festival. Sramik Andolan is the journal of CITU, WB State
committee, voice of working women, voice of electricity worker, working class are
also taken by the members of our union. We are going to be published history of
our union ―STRUGGLE FOR FIFTY YEARS‖ on the occasion of glorious &
dignifying golden jubilee year of our union.
General strike

We had successfully participated in All India General strike on 2nd September,2015

& 2nd September,2016 at the call of Central Trade Unions & Federations
ignoring all the threatening , circulars, announcements through both print &
electronic me-dias by TMC led Government in West Bengal thaks the strikers will
be victimised by effecting pay cut, curtailment of 1 day from service period . We
against this threatening & we had organised several programmes jointly and of
our own organisation like postering, gate meeting, hall meeting, rallies etc. at
District/Divi-sion level & also state level for grand success of the General Strike.
Technical employees up to District Committee members had been participated in
the general strike and most of the non technical employees had also participated
in the general strike.
Social programme

We have organised voluntary blood donation camp, Eye donation camp, posthu-
mous body donation camp & Health check up camp in District/Division & Sub-
Divi-sion level & also in the state level in every year to mitigate the crisis of blood
for the treatment of the dying patient. We also organise felicitation programme of
the scholar students of electricity employees .
Birth Centenary of Comrade Jyoti Basu

We took a resolution for organizing & observing the birth centenary of comrade
Jyoti Basu in all our Districts/Divisions .On 8th July2013 the birth day of legend
mass leader, teacher, the programme had been launched on 21st September
2013 at the over crowed Bidyut Bhaban Auditorium Hall. The opposition leader of
West Bengal legislative assembly Comrade Surjya Kanta Mishra was attend the
programme and delivered his speech as main speaker. On this occasion the vari-
ous programme has been launched like Blood Donation, Eye Donation, Health
Check Up, Cultural Competition and Quiz on safety. Commemorative speech of
Comrade Jyoti Basu, which is organized in all Districi/Division level.
Finally the closing ceremony programme held on 05th July,2014 at Bidyut Bhaban
Auditorium Hall through state level competition amongst the successful candidates
coming from District/Division. Economist and Former Finance Minister of Left front

114
Government Dr. Asim Dasgupta was present and concluded the final programme
by given his valuable speech.
24th State Conference held on 31st March to 2nd April

The 24th State Conference took place at Com. Pradyut Sen Nagar (Bidhannagar)
and Com. Murari Bose & Manab Mukherjee mancha (Bidyut Bhawan Auditorium)
from 31st March to 2nd April,2015. On 31stMarch we organise a open rally in front of
Bidyut Bhawn on occasion of the conference. Thousands of employees/workers
participated the open rally. Com. Tapan Sen,General Secretary,CITU delivered his
speech in the open rally. The 24th State Conference of our union was inaugurated by
Com.Tapan Sen, General Secretary,CITU. Before annual conference of our union
500 Unit Committees, 150 Sub- Division committees and 25 Districts/Divi-sion
Committees had completed the conference programme located from hill to sea
throughout the state within the period from August,2014 to february,2015. The con-
ference process was completed under a common guide line, which was adopted in
the working committee and state council meeting of our union. The slogan of our
conference was ―We solemnly affirm to retain our Rights through unity & struggle
while Electricity Act (Ammendment) bill, 2014 want to curtail our Rights.‖

Annual General Meetting of 24th State Council

After 24th State Conference of West Bengal State Electricity Workmens Union,
1st Annual General Meeting was organized and successfully completed in every
Dis-trict and Divisions within the period from 27th February – 20th March, 2016.
All of our organizers and members were participated in the meetings.
1st Annual General Meeting of 24th State council of our Union was organised
from 26th – 27th March, 2016 at Bandel Thermal Power Station township,
Hooghly. The Council members and the advisors of our union were attended the
1st Annual Gen-eral Meeting. The 1st Annual General Meeting of State Council
inaugurated by Com. Santashri Chatterjee, the senior leader of CITU west
Bengal. In the 2nd day of the meeting General Secretary of CITU west Bengal
committee Com. Dipak Dasgupta, delivered his speech to the councillors .
2nd Annual General Meeting of 24th State council of our Union was organised
from 25th March,2017 to 26th March, 2017 at Motor Binay Trust
Bhawan,Bardwan. The Council members and the advisors of our union attended
the 2nd Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting of State Council
inaugurated by Com. Amal Halder, Senior Leader of All India Krisan Sava.
Golden Jubilee year of WBSE WORKMENS UNION
In the memory of 50 years of our union since 1967 to 2017 we took a year wise
different types of programme like sports, cultural programme, Social activities
etc.etc.. A committee has been formed for celebrating the Golden Jubilee year in
the name of ― Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee.

115
We have organized a Successful Voluntary Blood donation camp and felicitation
function of the scholar student of the electricity employees who have successfully
pass out in the Secondary & Higher Secondary and other same standard
examina-tion in the year 2016. Both the programme was organized by our union
on 9th September, 2016 at Bidyut Bhawan Auditorium on the occasion of Golden
Jubilee Years Celebration of our union. Voluntary Blood donation camp has been
inaugu-rated by Com. Sujan Chakraborty, leader of left block and member of the
West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Dr. Pabitra Sarkar Former Vice Chancellor of
Rabindra Bharati University, Sri Tarun Mazumder, Eminent Film Director, Sri
Sujoy Sarkar, Director (HR), WBSEDCL, & other distinguished persons are also
present in the felicitation programme. After completion of Zonal Level Sports
meet in the occasion of Golden Jubilee Year of our union State Level Sports
meet was completed on 29th January, 2017 at Kolaghat Tharmal Power Plant
township play ground. The State level Sports meet was inaugurated by National
& International Athlet Smt Jyotirmoyee Sikdar .
We have already started a popular lecture class among the electricity employees
in every District/Division for knowing our union & its glorious and dignifying
struggle of 50 years. We have already started the zonal level cultural proggrame
in different phases.
Monoranjan Roy Energy Education Centre(MREEC)
We had formed this education centre for various purpose and activities in the en-ergy
sector. MREEC had efficiently been able to perform in the field of energy aware-
ness, energy conservation, skill development through training programme of self help
group workers, un-employed youths and members of franchise groups.
The education centre used to hold AGM every year where many distinguish per-
sonalities of Electricity sector of the state exchange their views and extend
valued advises for upholding the activities of MREEC.

116
 THE PASCHIM BANGA BIDYUT SHILPA
SAHAYAK KARMI UNION

T he Paschim Banga Bidyut Shilpa Sahayak Karmi Union, a union of contractual employees
associated with the power sector in West Bengal, was founded in 2000 following a
conference in December that year. Right from its inception,
the union has been organizing struggles on issues like outsourcing, granting
permanent status to contractual employees. Till 2011, i.e. during the Left Front rule,
there was ample scope and also an environment conducive to agitation and
movement for collective bargaining and addressing the demands of workers. But the
defeat of Left Front in 2011 made way for an extreme right wing dispensation that
proved to be utterly anti-working class and brutally repressive. The power sector
employees were also not spared orchestrated attack in general on the working
populace of the state. This was compounded by a lack of co-ordination at the top of
the union and the inability to hold organizational conferences in time. All these had
had a detrimental impact on the organizational strength and cohesion of the union. It
was only in 2016 that the union regained its vigour, subsequent to a revamp of the
Secretariat and the Central Committee at a Conference. The new committee was
evenly balanced with the representation of experienced leadership as well as
workers directly engaged in the trade and emerging young leaders. This has
positively contributed to the rejuvenation of the organization, along with the induction
of women into the leadership. We can now boast of the fact that the General
Secretary of the organization is a woman. With the formation of the new state
leadership, we have succeeded in conducting conferences at all the district units and
constituting district committees and various sub-committees.
During this period we have organized several movements to safeguard the
interests of the workers:
1. 29th February to 1st March 2016: Observing Protest day, in association with
the Workmen‘s Union, wearing badges enumerating demands of workers like
restructuring of pay and allowances.
2. 1st March 2016: District wise gate meetings on the same issues.
3. 9th March 2016: Sit-in demonstration at the gates of Vidyut Bhavan and
Vidyut Unnayan Bhavan.
4. 4th March to 10th March 2016: Safety Week observed.
5. 15th March 2016: Seminar on Safety organized at Mohit Maitra Mancha.
6. 1st May 2016: May Day observed.
7. 30th May 2016: CITU Foundation Day observed.

117
8. 28th August 2016: Blood Donation Camp and Meritorious Students‘
Felicitation Programme organized in collaboration with Workmen‘s Union.
9. 14th July 2016: Mass gathering at the gate of Vidyut Bhavan against Corruption,
Price Rise, poor services and atrocities perpetrated by Trinamool Congress.
10. 2nd September 2016: Members of the organization participate in the nation-
wide General Strike.
11. 15th August 2016: Programme organized jointly.
12. 9th March 2016: Movement organized jointly with Workmen‘s Union.
13. 14th September 2016: Deputation to the Director (HR) at Vidyut Bhavan to
settle demands pending action since long. The delegation was led by Com.
Somnath Bhattacharya, President, and Com. Bela Patra, General Secretary.
14. 2nd November 2016: Deputation at the offices of concerned authorities
seeking expeditious implementation of the 26 October 2016 Supreme Court
judgement on ―Equal Pay for Equal Work,‖ in the power sector, as the first
trade union in the nation to do so. It may be noted that a mammoth gathering
could be organized, especially considering the fact that the programme was
held during the season of festivals. Memorandum was submitted to the
authorities of WBSEDCL, WBSETCL and WBPDCL. Hence the programme
may be considered a grand success of the union.
15. 22nd December 2016: Massive gathering and deputation to the Divisional
Managers at the Sub-Divisional level and Zonal Managers at the District
level, regarding immediate implementation of the Supreme Court judgement.
During the deputation the authorities stated that they had not yet received
copies of the judgement. Com. Somnath Bhattacharya immediately supplied
soft copies of the judgement to the Director (HR) for reference. The
management assured the delegation of appropriate measures.
16. 5th December 2016: Another memorandum was submitted to the authorities
for implementation of the Supreme Court judgement. However, when we
observed that all the appeals to implement the court order yielded no results
we decided to gherao the MIC on the 27th of July 2017 and organize a day-
long sit-in demonstration on even date.
During this period our union achieved grand success in clinching several
demands of the workers:
There was no ESI scheme for Part Time Sweepers engaged in the power sector. The
settlement of PF dues was also irregular. After long and concerted struggles of the
union, that culminated in a tripartite discussion between the union, the Central PF
Commission and WBSEDCL authorities, on 23.03.2017, the authorities were
compelled to bring the PTS‘s and employees at the Singur-Haripal Co-operative
under the ESI Scheme. Workers shall also come under the PF Scheme right from

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the date of joining. We consider this to be a massive victory of the union.
Not only at the state level, the union also participated actively in the programmes
organized at the national level by the CITU and the EEFI. The union took part in the
Contractual Labourers‘ Convention at Delhi on 27th April, 2017. It also joined the
programme organized by the EEFI on ―Equal Pay for Equal Work‖. Apart from that,
the union participates in various agitation programmes (like March to Parliament)
organized by CITU in close collaboration with the Workmen‘s Union and the EEFI.

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 EEFI WB COMMITTEE

E EFI WB Committee is a joint platform of WB State Electricity Workmen‘s Union,

Calcutta Electric Supply Workmen‘s Union, DVC Shramik Union, Durgapur Project
Employees Union, NTPC Farakka STPP Worker Union, Power Transmission Employees
and Workers Union, P.B. Rajuya Bidyut Silpa Sahayak Karmi Union, NTPC Farakka
STPP Contractor Workers Union & NTPC
SAIL Power Supply Company Employees Union.
State committee meeting takes place in a long gap. A good number of office bearers
meeting took place on issue basis instead of in regular interval after 7lh National
conference of EEFI. Practically the committee meets to take decision for organising
movements and struggles on its own strength or at the call of NCCOEEE.

Performances are listed as follows -

* On 17.12.17 EEFFI, WB Committee was the host at the meeting of the
Unions attached with Energy sector in the countries of Asia Pacific region in
Calcutta under the banner of TUI (Energy) and at the 2nd meeting of
Executive Committee of TUI (Energy).
* On 25.1.14 meeting at Victoria House, Kolakata (CESE HQ) against hostile
attack by TMC goons on our workers and against law and order break.
* On 21.2.14 meeting at Victoria house , Kolakata (CESE HQ) at the call of
NCCOEEE WB Chapter against Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2014.
* On 3.3.14 EEFI participated at the demonstration organised by CFZS
workmen‘s union for upgradation of medical facilities.
* On 3.4.14 EEFI participated in 48 hours‘ Stay in demonstration programme
organised by WBSE Workmen‘s Union.
* EEFI participated with full strength in the Parliamentary election campaign
and organised a good number of meetings during April to May 2014.
* On 25.6.2014 to 27.6.2014 EEFI participated in 3 days‘s Stay in
demonstration programme in Kolkata at the call of CITU WB Committee.
* On 4.3.15 EEFI WB committee was the host at the Round Table conference
held in Kolkata at the call of EEFI All India Committee regarding Electricity
(Amendment) bill 2014
* On 5.3.15 EEFI WB committee was the host at the All India Office bearers‘
meeting of EEFI in Kolkata.
* On 14.3.15 EEFI participated in a seminar at Bidyut Bhawan auditorium on
Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2014 organised by WBSE Workmen‘s Union.

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* On 30.6.15 letter to GM, NTPC Farakka STPP against statement of PRO,NTPC
Farakka STPP stating that striking workers has no relation with NTPC. We
demanded wilhdrawl of statement and for settlement of demands of workers.
* On 23.7.15 EEFI was the host to organise convention of electricity employees
of Eastern and North Eastern states at the call of NCCOEEE in Moulali Yuba
Kendra in Kolkata against Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2014.
* On 6.1 1.15 EEFI participated in a mass demonstration to MIC, Power, Govt,
of India at Kochi at the call of NCCOEEE.
* On March-April-May 2016 EEFI participated with its full strength in Assembly
election campaign of WB.
* On 24.6.16 EEFI participated in a convention at Moulali Yuba Kendra,
Kolkata, at the call of CITU WB committee regarding All India General Strike
on 2nd September 16.
* On 17.8.16 Gate meeting at DVC Tower, Kolkata at the call of NCCOEEE
WB Chapter.
* On 18.8.16 Gate meeting at Bidyut Bhawan at the call of NCCOEEE WB chapter.
* On 20.8.16 EEFI was the host at state level convention at Krishnapada
Ghosh Memorial Auditorium, Kolkata at the call of NCCOEEE WB chapter
against Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2014.
* EEFI organised programmes for the success of All India General Strike on 2nd
September, 2015 and on 2nd September. 2016.
* On 25.10.16 EEFI observed ― End Contractorisation Day‖ at the call of EEFI
All India Committee.
* On 2.4.17 EEFI participated in a convention at Durgapur, organised by DVC
Shramik Union.
* On 4.4.17 Gate meeting at Bidyut Bhawan at the call of NCCOEEE WB chapter.
* On 8.4.17 convention of electricity employees of Eastern and North Eastern
states at Bharat Sabha Hall, Kolkata at the call of NCCOEEE WB chapter.
On 27.7.2017 a masive demonstration with deputation to MIC power, govt of W.B. at
electricity department was conducted by EEFI WB. Committee. Demands were to
scrap the anti worker and anti consumer clauses of Electricity (Amendment) Bill,
2014 to implement Payment of Equal Wage for Equal Work, to regularise all womens
engaged in parenial nature of works on contract basis, To provide similar payment
and facilities at par with regular workers, Pay revevision of all electricity company
workers controlled by state government, Utilisation of full installed capacity of
electricity generating stations in W.B. (both central & state sector & private sector), to
restore democracy in all the working places of W.B. including CESC, and against
expartee pay revision by management in DVC ignoring burgaining power of

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recognised union and discremination in implementation of promotion policy in
DVC etc.
Electricity workers in hundreds coming from all the districts & projects in south
Bengal participated in the stay in demonstration continued from 12 noon to 4 PM with
flags, banners, hoording with demands at electricity department of govt of W.B. at
Bidyut Unnayan Bhaban (PDCL), Kolkata. The demonstration was colourful
parlicipated by the members of W.B. state Electricity workmens union, P.B. Rajya
Bidyut Silpa Sahayak Karmi Union, Calcutta Electric Supply Workmen‘s Union,
Power Transmission Employees & Workers Union (Power Grid), DVC shramaik
union. Durgapur project Employees Union, Calcutta Electric Supply Contractor
Workers Union, Bujbuj TPS Contractor Workers Union (CESC).
Kanchan Mukherjee general secretary EEFI WB Committee placed the
memorandum and brifed the situation in the electricity industry in country and in
west Bengal.
Prasanta Nandi Chowdhury, General Secretary EEFI, Shyamal Chakraborty,
Vice President CITU All India & W.B. Committee and Anadi Sahu, general
Secretary, CITU W.B. Committee addressed the gatherings. They detailed on the
danger & ill resultant effect of Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014. They detailed
Central government wants to snatch away the right to energy and motto of the bill
is privatisation of electricity industry. They emphasised upon united and all out
struggle on implementation of equal wage for equal work and regulariesation of
all contractual. Workers and other demands as mentioned in memorendum. They
added Modi governments attach on TU rights and earned rights by way of
changing labour laws. They also mentioned attackes of RSS & BJP government
on Dalits & Muslim minorities and gave clarion call to the electricity workers for
maintaining communal harmony and united struggle to protect democracy, civil
liberity & rights in the country and in the state.
Dipak Roy Chowdhury, Tarun Bharadwaj, Jiten Nandi, Somenath Bhattacharya,
SK Mustak Ali addressed the meeting. They detailed on the demands. The
speakers demanded against steps taken by CESC management by shut down of
Titagarh Power station of CESC. They said CESC management wants to close
down Titagarh power station.
A team of representatives consiting of Kanchan Mukherjee, Dipak Roy Chowdhury,
Tarun Bharadwaj, Bela Patra led the deputation to the representative of MIC power.
The mass demonstration created a great enthusiasm among the workers.

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 U.T., POWERMEN UNION
CHANDIGARH (REGD.)
Report

Massive Rally of Powermen Announce to Resort Direct Action

T he Electricity Employees of Chandigarh under the banner of U.T. Powermen Union

Chandigarh on 27th April, 2016 held a massive Rally & demonstration in Sector 18, Chandigarh.
The Rally was held in support of long pending
genuine demands of Electricity Employees & also against the negative and ada-
mant attitude of the authorities towards the genuine demands. The demands in-
cludes. Filling up the 700 vacant posts lying vacant in the department since
long, removal of pay anomalies of the employees by stepping up the pay of
seniors with their juniors, offer of appointment to the next kin of deceased
employees by scrap-ping 5% cealing. Providing fault locating van, boom
ladders, cable joints, meters, fuse wire & other material in the store and provide
T&P & Safety Devices to the workmen, drinking water facility and sitting
arrangements in offices, complaint cen-tres and Grid Sub Stations beside
stoppage of the process of corporatization of the department & for
implementation of other demands of the employees.
Sh. Gopal Datt Joshi, General Secretary, of union while addressing the rally
strongly criticized the authorities of the department for the negative and
adamant attitude towards the long pending demands and blamed that due to
negative attitude of the officers the position of the department become bad to
worst he elaborated that. In 1987 there were 1780 sanctioned posts against the
1 lac 12 thousand connections now there connections increase oven 2.5 lacs in
addition to these this there is 1 substation of 220 KV, 12 substation of 66 KV, 5
substation of 33 KV & over 25 hundred distribution transformers beside other
project in hands & strength of the employees reduced less then one thousand
and there are over posts of various categories lying vacant. Due to non filling of
vacant posts the complaint & repair work suffering miserably and consumer
services remain. Worst effected on one side on the other revenue of the
department lossed in crores due to non realization of defaulting amount & non
checking of thefts. Instead of implementing the genuine demands authorities of
the department are wasting their time in confrontation even they have no time
for
Sh. holding DPC Vice
Vijay Singh meeting to promote
President, theSingh
Dhian employees.
Joint Secretary, Desh Raj, Raj Pal
Amrik Singh, Kashmir Singh, Pan Singh, Darshan Singh Surinder Goyal,
Narinder Kumar and other leaders of the Union also condemned the authorities
for non fulfill ment of other genuine demands and noted with grave concern
that neither any

123
posts have been filled up in last 2 years nor provided any T & P safety devises to
the workmen in last 2 years even they remain fail to provide material in store.
The rally was also addressed by Sh. Raghbir Chand Convener Coordination
Committee, Rajinder Katoch (Water supply), Bhimsen (Horticulture), Bish Ram
(Road), Behari Lal (ICCW) & Other leaders of the sister organization & support
the demands.
Sh. Sat Pal, President of Union while conveying his sincere thanks to the
employees for their massive participation in the protest rally warned that if the
vacant posts will not be filled immediately & safety devices and material will not
provided to the workmen and other demands will not be implemented
immediately then union will intensify its agitation.
(a) In 1st phase the protest dharna will be held before all the sub divisions.
(b) In 2nd Phase divisional dharnas will be held which converted into work to rule.
(c) Complete strike will be observe in June 2016 if the demands will not be
resolve. The negative attitude of the authorities will be fully responsible for
any in convenience to the public at last due to strike.
17th Massive Dharna of Powermen on 10th June, 2016
The Electricity Employees of Chandigarh under the banner of U.T. Powermen Union
Chandigarh on 10 June, 2016 held 17th protest Dharna & demonstration before electricity
office Sector 17, Chandigarh in series of regular protest. The Dharna was held in support
of long pending genuine demands of Electricity Employees & also against the negative
and adamant attitude of the authorities towards the genuine demands. The demands
includes restoration of already granted electricity concession to the employees which is
being stopped unilaterally by S.E. Electricity. Filling up the 700 vacant posts lying vacant
in the department since long, removal of pay anomalies of the employees by stepping up
the pay of seniors with their juniors, offer of appointment to the next kin of deceased
employees by scrapping 5% cealing. Providing fault locating van, boom ladders, cable
joints, meters, fuse wire & other material in the store and provide T&P & Safety Devices
to the workmen, drinking water facility and sitting arrangements in offices, complaint
centres and Grid Sub Stations, stoppage of increasing accidents besides implementation
of other demands.
The Dharna & demonstration was addressed by Sarv Shri Sh. Gopal Datt Joshi,
General Secretary Federation & Union, Sh. Satpal President, Sh. Vijay Singh Senior
Vice President, Desh Raj Vice President, Amrik Singh, Pardeep Sharma Darshan
Singh, Rajpal, Balbir Chand, Ranjit Singh, Surinder Goyal & Kashmir Singh, Narinder
Kumar, Paramjit Singh, Pan Singh & other leaders of the Union besides Sh. Raghbir
Chand President Federation, Rajinder Katoch (Water Supply) & Harkesh Chand,
Horticulture & Bish Ram (Roads) besides other leaders or sister organizations.
While addressing the dharna the speakers strongly criticized the authorities of the

124
department for the negative and adamant attitude towards the long pending
demands and blamed that due to negative attitude of the officers the position of the
department become bad to worst. They said that the work load is increasing day by
day but the manpower is reducing as compression to work load. But the officers
instead of taking efforts to fill up the vacant posts, providing materials and safety
devices to the workmen are wasting their time in controversies and further blamed
that instead of implementing of the demands they are trying to already granted
benefits of the employees such as withdrawal of electricity concession etc. and by
doing so the officers are giving fuel to fire which is not acceptable. The leaders
blamed the authorities of the department are fully responsible for increasing
accidents in the department and said that the safety devices and tools are not being
provided, boom ladders are not being given to the Complaint Centres and lower
cadre workers are being got victim and demanded lodging criminal cases against the
officers concerned who are compelling the employees to do the work which is not
assigned to them more so the field staff is being compelled to work in offices and
work load of these are also mount on field staff, resultantly, the accidents occurred.
The speakers while strongly condemned the attitude of the authority for their complete
failure to fill up the posts and providing safety devices to the workmen announce work to
rule with immediate effect and decided if the workers will be compelled to do the job other
them their assigned duty. the union will lodged criminal cases against the officers
concerned and further warned that if the electricity concession restore immediately and
others demands of the employees will not be resolve immediately the call of work to rule
will be continue and employees will observe complete strike on 16 June 2016. The
authorities particularly the Chief Engineer & Superintending Engineer (Electy.) will fully
responsible for any in convenience to the public due to strike as they are sitting tight over
the genuine issues of the employees.
Powermen Dharna and Demonstration on 25.4.17
The Electricity Employees of Chandigarh under the banner of U.T. Powermen
Union Chandigarh (Regd.) today i.e. on 25.04.2017 held massive Dharna and
demonstra-tion before the Electricity Office, Sector 17, Chandigarh.
Union General Gopal Dutt Joshi while addressing the Dharna and Demonstration
strongly criticized and condemn the negative and adamant attitude of the authori-ties
towards the genuine demands of electricity employees and said that this mas-sive
protest dharna is being given for Stoppage the move to corporate / privatize the well
running U.T. Electricity department Chandigarh, Filling up the vacant posts of
promotional as well as direct quota without further delay, Removal of pay anoma-lies
of senior and junior employees working as ALM‘s (The case of 93 Vs.94 batches),
Offer of appointment to the next kin of deceased employees by scrapping 5% cealing
on Punjab / PSPCL pattern, To check the increasing accidents & grant compensa-
tion to the dependent of the deceased & those who become permanent disabled

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while working / performing duties (the case of Vinay Kumar RTM), Amendments in
recruitment rules of class I, II, III, IV categories of officers/ officials of electricity wing
of Engineering Department U.T. Chandigarh, Setting up of centralize pay structure of
U.T. Electricity Employees so as to check the pay parity etc., Renovations of Houses
of Electricity colonies as per revised norms by providing sufficient budget as well as
men and materials for maintenance and repair works, Restoration of electricity
concession of the employees as per previous practice through bills in-stead of cash
payment, Providing fault Locator Van, Boom Ladders & Procurement of material i.e.
transformers cables, joints, meters, conductors, fuse wires, tubes, chocks etc. in the
department so as to serve the public and provide uninterrupted power supply to the
valuable consumers, Providing T & P, safety devices, uniforms, soap & oil to the field
staff & stationary in offices, sitting arrangements and drinking water facilities in
offices, 66 KV & 33 KV substations and complaint centers, Re-strain the officers of
electricity department for compelling the employees to do the jobs other then their
assigned duties & stop the field staff to work in offices, The employees appointed
through outsource agencies particularly the categories of LDC, Linemen & ALM‘s be
taken under the direct control of the department as they have been appointed against
sanctioned posts by taking departmental exams and fur-ther request to release the
salary of the said employees before 7th of each month against salary budged till their
adjustment, Extension of services of 37 nos. of lorry drivers engaged through
PESCO against HTV category instead of LMV category through an other agency so
as to avoid exploitation, Stoppage of pick & choose transfers of employees
particularly the categories of Junior Engineers & peons (rep-resentation submitted),
Fair & transparent transfer policy be framed of all catego-ries of employees & officers
including Superintending Engineer and till then all the transfers be stopped in public
interest, Withdrawal of show cause notices issued to the ALM‘s of various batches
without any reasons regarding their promotion / ap-pointment cases.

Senior Vice President Vijay Singh, Dhyan Singh, Amrik Singh, Pardeep Sharma, Raj
Pal while criticizing the authority for their negative attitude blame that the offic-ers
instead of implementing the demands instigating the employees by all means and
regrettably pointed out that neither any meeting has been fixed nor resolve any
single demands listed in the charter, rather crop up disputes and adopted repres-sive
attitude towards the demands. Instead of resolving any grievances all attention and
priorities have been given in pick and choose transfers of various categories
particularly in case of junior engineers and peons with the motive to please some
vasted interests and humiliation of the employees without framing any fair & trans-
parent transfer policy for the categories of top to bottom. The Union in this regards
met your good self & SE electricity and submit numbers of representations but in
vain. The LDC‘s ALM‘s & Line men have been engaged illegally on outsource basis
against sanctioned posts, their tenure is being completed but no efforts have been
taken to undertake their services under the direct control of the department. Sum-

126
mer season is in its peak but the services of the drivers have not been extended
through PESCO and officers of the department letting loose to exploit the employ-
ees through money mongers who is trying to float tenders as LTV instead of HTV as
the types of vehicles i.e. vooms & trucks are HTV or LGV categories, similarly tools
& safety devices have not been provided. Summer is in its peak put the officers
are compelling the employee to work in offices or other then their assigned duties
be-side insticating the employees by issuing of show cause notices with a
malafide intension. The dharna was also addressed by Sh. Darshan Singh,
Kashmir Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Narinder Kumar, Ranjit Singh, Paramjit Singh,
Daler Singh, Harinder Prashad, Pan Singh besides Sh. Raghbir Chand,
President, Rajinder Katoch, Bhim Sen and other leaders of the Federation.
During the dharna the union submit memorandum to the Home Secretary
seeking his immediate intervention to save the situation.
Union President Satpal while congratulating the employees for their massive par-
ticipation in Dharna took strong notice of the statement given by administrator re-
garding privatization of the department and said that the administration instead of
implementing the failed structure should fill-up the vacant posts and provide
mate-rial and safety devices to the workmen for redressal of consumer
complaints and should leave the idea of privatization in the interest of employees
of general public and warn that if the proposal of corporatization and privatization
will not be can-celled and the demands of the employees will not be implemented
in time bound period the union will observe one day strike on 17 May 2017.
Authorities of the Administration shall be fully responsible for any inconvenience
to the public due to strike.

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 CALCUTTA ELECTRIC SUPPLY
WORKMENS UNION

Report for the 8thNATIONAL Conference OF EEFI

Organisation:

I t must be mentioned for record that Calcutta Electric Supply Workmens Union is the
pioneer union in power industries of our country. The union formed in British India in the
year 1937. It has a long legacy in the working class movement in India. Even Gandhiji
once represented the cause of union to the Viceroy of India at
the beginning days of the union.
The last conference of the union held in the MONTH OF MAY, 2015 which was
inaugurated byTapanSen, the General Secretary of CITU. Before this, all the 29
unit conference held democratically.
Prior to this in spite of unprecedented terror, violence, physical assaults, false
Police Cases, no space for democratic campaigning by the TMC goons in
connivance with private management of CESC, Our union faced the election for
recognition of unions in 2014. TMC supported union and the management were
absolutely sure that the Government sponsored TMC union would win the
election. But despite all odds they could not be able to remove our union to get
the membership of the Bargaining Council.
After our union conference we have been busy to keep contacts with the
employees in various forms, as we are not allowed to openly run the union
activities inside CESC. Even we are not allowed to paste a poster in CESC
premises, deputations and campaigns are far off.
In this violence situation came the Assembly Election of West Bengal in 2016.
More than 750 union members took active part in the Election. We had to
organize election campaigns secretly in the various domestic premises of our
employees, secretly collected donations from the employees for election purpose
which was more than 6.25 lakh rupees.
Shortly after the counting started, when it became clear that TMC was going to win
the vote, TMC aided goons invaded the scenario in CESC and attacked our
members brutally including leadership. Gradually terror took grater shape and our
members were not allowed to workplaces to attend duties day after day. Our union
somehow managed to break the impasse by creating pressure on management.
In this uncouth and wild scenario came the election for TUS recognition in CESC in
September 2016 after the debacle in Assembly Election of West Bengal few months
back. Our union took the challenge and all the responsible Executive Members of the
union gave their ultimate effort for underground campaigning and preparation

128
for the Election. As our campaign geared up and a sense of resistance built up
among the workmen TMC increased assaults and fear psychosis among the
workmen. They even could not keep faith in its own members.
The election was held on 18th November, 2016. TMC union did not west time and
started destroying the whole election process with the help of the Labour
Minister, The Energy Minister of the state (who is the President of the TMC union
in CESC also), outside goons, Police administration and CESC Management
itself. They captured 25 polling booths out of 29. The whole election process
became a farce. TMC union did understand that they would not win if the vote
went on fairly. Many of our members including polling agents were beaten up.
Eventually we had no option but to withdraw ourselves from this farce. The then
President of our West Bengal CITU Com. ShyamalChakraborty subsequently
called a press conference where he explained the situation in CESC and the role
of the government and the CESC management behind this.
Our members are not given promotion. Model standing order is not been followed. All
other facilities, rules and administrative regulations, standing practices have been
violated. Our comrades are being frustrated day by day in this situation.
Leaders with General Members:
In this time Com. Swadesh Deb Roy and P. N. Chowdhury came over here
having a discussion with Com. Chowdhury. They made an informal interaction
with our comrades. Exchanged their experiences and that really gave impetus to
our members. To consolidate our members, we are emphasis to take part in the
democratic movement outside of our industry.
We are fighting against menace:
In this situation our endeavor is always to organize employees against these
atrocities. To organize movement along with contractor unions, In case of TGS
we did so, all other unions came, except TMC union. But situation become so
grave that we could not proceed further.
Our role in the struggle of the Electricity Employees:
Our CESWU is active in EEFI from its very inception. We play a major role in its
decision making part as well as their implementation for the state along with the
centre. The zonal committee took the central part, with the help of the Kolkata
district committee, in organising the movements against the Electricity Act
Amendment 2014 and the hike of tariff in electricity.
The status of the Industry:-
Lastly, we can say that there is no representation of the workers in the utility. As we
are facing the nexus of the management, i.e., Goyenka, the ruling party as well as
the government and its own affiliated TU. needless to say, the management has
taken this opportunity to implement all the anti-employees policies. There is no space

129
for any democratic movement in CESC.
i) Titagarh Generating Station is going to face the permanent shut down.
ii) The management has decided to downsize the number of employees; it has
already cut short the number by 1250 in last four years and determined the
same for 1500 by next two years.
iii) Contract labours of Titagarh Generating Station were forced to take the VRS
for the 2nd time.
iv) CESC already declared bifurcation of the company. Generating and
distribution will be separated. The opportunity of redeployment of surplus
man power is becoming impossible.
v) The CESC will lose its Identity. It will take a shape of a trading company with
shutting down all the generation stations and only distributing electricity by
utilizing the proposed amendment of the electricity Act. RPG has already started
to make its franchisees in several states and has been trying to put this company
of ours in that scenario. (They have already made their distribution franchisees in
Kota, Bharatpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan, Noyda in UP and Ranchi in Jharkhand)

130
WORKING REPORT OF KSE BOARD CONTRACT
WORKERS ASSOCIATION
Nearly 6500 contract workers are being engaged in Kerala State Electricity
Board. Out of this nearly 1500 are petty contract workers and the rest being
engaged on daily wage. The daily wage workers include meter readers,
operators, shift assistant in power houses and clerical staff. The membership of
our union as on 2016 is 2036.
It was ordered by the Industrial Tribunal in 2014, that the petty contract workers
worked for 1200 days in between 1999-2014 be appointed as mazdoors in KSEB
against 25% Vacancies arised during the period. The Supreme Court has also
held up the Tribunal‘s Judgement.
The process of appointment of mazdoors from among the petty contract workers is in
progress. The Krala Public Service Commission has fixed scheduled interview of
such candidates. Our Association has resorted to a protracted struggle including
contest of care in Kerala High Court and Supreme Court for such appointment.
The State Conference of the Association was held in Trivandrum on 4th May
2017. Comrades, O.A.Sukumaran and K.Sukesan were elected as President and
General Secretary respectively.
Four delegates participated in the EEFI Kancheepuram conference held from 6th
August 2013
Our Assocation is on Protracted struggle on the followin demands
* Publish the list of contract workes.
* Distribute identity cards.
* Revise daily wages.
* Allow reservation in appointments.
* Dependants of the diceased contract worker be given compassionate
appointment with Board.
A state convention declaring continued struggles was conducted on 2013 April 29. A
Five day ―Dharna‖ was staged infront of Vayduthi Bhavan Trivandrum from Oct. 7 to
11, 2013 raising this demands. 391 workers participated in the direct action. It was
decided to seige the Vaiduthi Bhavan on 7th November 2013. The seige was set
aside following a discussion with the management. It was agreed to issue identify
cards to the worker, training to the contract works, remmuneration for completed
works was agreed to be disbursed with in 45 days and dialy wages to meter readers
agreed to be 1/30 of monthly wages of regular workers. Saftey equipment was also
assured to be distributed to the workers. It was also decised to publish the list of

131
contract workers urgently.
In the mean while the Board insisted licence to contract workers with the motive
to throw away contract works on this cuntet the union was compelled to for
agitation against this ―Licence Raj‖ and also to press the implementation of the
agreed demands. The union staged Dharna at 50 Division centers in the sate on
12th Feb. 2016.
On 7th Feb. 2017 a manamath Vaiduthy Bhavan March at Trivandrum was
organised to press the burning demenads in which 1200 workers from all over
the state participated Even through the licence raj has been averted the other
demands has only practically implemented or not implemented. The union has
planned to strike work during October this year and workers meeting and
publication of folders and posters are being circulated on this.
General Function
Our union has co-operated with all the activities and struggles of CITU and Left
Democratic front including General strikes and elections. Our union members have
taken part in booth level works in parlement Assembly and local body elections.
Our union has actively took part with action and agitation and other campgins
called by EFFI
The workers of our union has actively coperated with the complete Electrification
programme of Kerala LDF Government. The Contract workers have completed and
Electrified 10 houses at their own and contributed to the LDF Government, Venture.
The union has completed the P.Ramamurthy Furd, CITU Fund and Election in
fund as decided.

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ds ckotwn Hkh u gh leku dk baUrtke fd;k tk jgk gS uk

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dks lHkh f‘kÝVksa esa eqdEey gM+rky djsxh gMrky ds dkj‘k vke turk dks gksus okyh
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 ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA
8TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE

ANNEXURES

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 Annexure-1

Annexure-2

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Annexure-3

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 Annexure-4

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 Annexure-14

NATIONAL CONVENTION ON EQUAL WAGE

FOR EQUAL WORK
Organisaed by
ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES’
FEDERATION OF INDIA
MAVLANKAR HALL, NEW DELHI 27th April, 2017

DRAFT RESOLUTION
This National Convention takes place at Mavalankar Auditorium, New Delhi on
27th April, 2017 with participation of Workers, Employees & Engineers of
Electricity Industry from all over the country, express serious concern over the
wide scale discrimination among the workers employed through various form of
engagement like contract casual and part time in Generation, Transmission &
Distribution of Electricity along with incidental activities.
The Convention conveys its agony of to all the policy makers and others concerned
to socio economic sphere of the country. Prospect of any country, nowadays, is
totally dependent upon development of Electricity. Access to Electricity for the people
of the country is key factor in the path of development. Power sector being one of the
most capital intensive industry, onus of its development was taken up in public sector
from initial days of independent India. Legal and organizational structure was also
conducive for such development within the ambit of Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948.
Setting up of Generating plants, Transmission and Distribution network to half million
villages along with energisation of twelve million pump sets by SEBs made our
country a food surplus one, from a country of starving billion. Operation and
maintenance of entire network used to be done by the employees directly engaged
by the SEBs. Electricity was treated as an essential service for socio-economic
development within the ambit of Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 not a market driven
commodity as prescribed by Electricity Act, 2003.
This Convention puts its fervent appeal to all conscious people, who are aware that
engagement of Labour in routine jobs through Contractors is the crudest form of
exploitation. Employers adopt this unfair policy of contractual engagement, mainly

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to shake off their obligations towards such workers to deprive them from their
legal rights. After the implementation of the policy of Liberalization in our country
the form of exploitation has been accelerated and become unabated.
This Convention notes with deep consternation that the industries in our country both
traditional and emerging including the Government Departments, Public Sector
undertaking are recklessly engaging Contract Labours in gross violation of Contract
Labour (Regulation & Abolitions) Act, 1970. This anti-exploitative Act was enacted for
the purpose of abolition as well regulating engagement of contractor workers in the
arena of perennial nature of jobs. But in reality, not to speak of abolition, the Act has
become an instrument in the hands of the employers to continue in wider form, the
system of engagement of Contract Labours. It is outrageous to note that almost all
employers dare to ignore the provision of the said Act with unlimited indulgence from
Labour departments of Central and State Governments. They do not care even to
register their establishments with the appropriate authority of the Government to
obtain License under the said Contract Labours (R&A) Act and consider that it is their
inherent right to engage contract workers irrespective of the nature of job even being
perennial.
This convention of Electricity Workers on Equal Wage for Equal Work notes that the
workers are compelled to work, for more than 8 hrs in violation of statute. They are
doing similar nature of works with permanent workers but wage components like Pay
Dearness and other allowances differ widely. Social Security benefits are denied.
Conditions of granting license to the contractors under clause 25 (v) (a) of C L (R&A)
Central Rules stipulates ―In cases where the workmen employed by the contractor
perform the same or similar kind of work as the workmen directly employed by the
principal employer of the establishment, the wage rates holidays, hours of work and
other conditions of service of the workmen of the contractor shall be the same as
applicable to the workmen directly employed by the principal employer of the
establishment on the same or similar kind of work.‖ None is there, besides protest
from progressive Trade Unions to pay heed to the rules.
Hon‘ble Justice Markandey Kutju & Hon‘ble Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad
of Apex Court in the course of passing order on 1st September, 2011 in the Civil
Appeal No. 2585 of 2006 commented sarcastically on the unfortunate state of
affairs prevailing in the field of Labour relation in the country. The judgment
issued made abundantly clear that the responsibility about contractor workers
rests only with Principal Employers. Part of the judgment quoted below :
―In order to avoid their liability under labour statutes, employers are very often

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 resorting to subterfuge by trying to show that their employees are in fact, the
employees of contractor. It is high time this subterfuge must come to an end.
Labour statutes were meant to protect the employees/workmen because it was
realized that the employers and employees are not one on equal bargaining
position. Hence, protection of employees was required so that they may not be
exploited. However, this new technique of subterfuge has been adopted by
some employers in recent years in order to deny the rights of the workmen
under various labour statutes by showing that the concerned workmen are not
their employees but are the employees/workmen of a contractor, or that they are
merely daily wage or short term or casual employees when in fact they are
doing the work of regular employees.
This Court cannot countenance such practices any more, Globalization/
Liberalization in the name growth cannot be at the human cost of exploitation
of workers.‖
This convention anxious to observe that operation and maintenance of Power
system, now-a-days, has become totally dependent upon contract workers. Two
decades of neo liberal economic policy regime has extended the contract system to
worst possible extent. Contract system was also there previously in the ancillary and
the low tech jobs beyond the main production system. But presently workers are
engaged through contractors for all jobs including highly skilled arena of exclusively
precision work. Another dangerous trend is observed that different categories of
contract workers are entrusted for risk prone jobs without methodical training, license
and safety devices and PPEs. Resultant is loss of human lives to countless extent. In
generating plants due to existence of organized trade union, form of exploitation is in
mild state to some extent. System of engagement in transmission and distribution
area is very pathetic. Workers are not getting their legitimate benefits due to
unlawfully engaged contractors backed by management of the power utilities. In
some area no specific rate of wages is defined, workers are taking up the break
down service of their own. Some payment like subscription is realized from the
residents of the locality by the workers catered the service. In absence of systematic
blocking and isolation of the live circuit, frequent accident causes loss of lives of the
workers, who do not have any identified employer. None is available to compensate
the family of the deceased workers as per Employees Compensation Act.
The electricity workers, employees & engineers assembled in this convention notes
with deep concern that major section of the employees of Power utilities all over the
country are fomenting with colossal grievances. National Chapter of NCCOEEE, a
broad based platform of Electricity workers, employees & engineers took up the
issue for consideration in its meeting held on 3rd February at Delhi. It was observed

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that no piece meal solution is likely to ease the problem. Hence, NCCOEEE also
decided wider form of movement to ensure end of exploitation. The convention
extends full support to the movement against exploitation. India is connected through
National Grid across its length & breadth. Power generated in North-eastern India is
wheeled to Delhi or Kerala. But wage pattern of the workers varies widely. Only
uniformity is nature of exploitation. Private players got wide inroad in the Power
sector besides state and central utilities. Affairs of Employment in Power Sector has
become menacing by large scale engagement of contractual / casual employees in
all perennial nature of jobs related to Generation, Transmission & Distribution of
Electricity in gross contravention of contract labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,
1970. Presently 70% of the Employees in the industry are being exploited in the
name of contractual engagement. Hardly any one of them are paid wages similar to
regular employees of the utilities within the ambit of laws of the land. Hon‘ble Justice
Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice S A Bobde of Apex Court of India in the matter of
Civil Appeal No. 213 of 2013 (State of Punjab and Others Vs. Jagjit Singh and
Others) in their judgment passed on 26th October, 2016 directed that ―all the
concerned temporary employees in the present bunch of cases would be entitled to
draw wages at the minimum of the pay scale (at the lowest grade, in the regular pay
scale), extended to regular employees holding the same post.‖ A part of the
judgment emphasizing the logic behind is quoted below:
―There is not room for any doubt, that the principle of ‗equal pay for equal work‘ has
emerged from an interpretation of different provisions of the Constitution. The
principle has been expounded through a large number of judgments rendered by this
Court, and constitutes law declared by this Court. The same is binding on all the
courts in India, under Article 141 of the Constitution of India. The parameters of the
principle, have been summarized by us in paragraph 42 hereinabove. The principle
of ‗equal pay for equal work‘ has also been extended to temporary employees
(differently described as work-charge, daily-wage, casual, ad-hoc, contractual, and
the like). The legal position, relating to temporary employees, has been summarized
by us, in paragraph 44 hereinabove. The above legal position which has been
repeatedly declared is being reiterated by us, yet again.
In our considered view, it is fallacious to determine artificial parameters to deny fruits of
labour. An employee engaged for the same work, cannot be paid less than another, who
performs the same duties and responsibilities. Certainly not, in a welfare state. Such an
action besides being demeaning, strikes at the very foundation of human dignity. Any
one, who is compelled to work at a lesser wage, does not do so

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voluntarily. He does so, to provide food and shelter to his family, at the cost of his
self respect and dignity, at the cost of his self worth, and at the cost of his
integrity. For he knows, that his dependents would suffer immensely, if he does
not accept the lesser wage. Any act, of paying less wages, as compared to
others similarly situate, constitutes an act of exploitative enslavement, emerging
out of a domineering position. Undoubtedly, the action is oppressive, suppressive
and coercive, as it compels involuntary subjugation.‖
This convention observes that the Government remains as a silent spectator on
the above back drop and allows unfair and illegal practices to continue. Under
the above state of affairs the Convention univocally decries all these unfair &
illegal practices and demand:-
1) Pending abolition of the system of engaging Contractor Workers, rights and
privileges of the Contractor Workers within the ambit of the laws of the land
should be strictly implemented. Engagement of Contractor Workers in
perennial nature of job should be stopped and all the existing workers are
regularized as permanent workers through bipartite agreement with active
trade union in the utility concerned. Principal Employers must shoulder the
responsibility to ensure all benefits arising out of the applicability of the
statutes are extended and the Contractor Workers are made permanent.
Convention demands ―Equal Wages for Equal work‖ are to be guaranteed
with the ultimate Object of End of Contract System in the Power Utilities.
2) Pending abolition of the contract system through regularization of all
workers, the duty hours of the existing Contractor Workers should be
regulated in terms of the provisions of statutes.
3) Principal employer must take the initial responsibility in resolving the
disputes raised under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 in respect of the
Contractor Workers engaged in their Factory/Establishment. Enrolment of
the Contractor Workers under P F, E S I and other social security
Scheme should be guaranteed from the first day of their employment as
like as permanent workers.
On the above back-drop, the convention demands to declare specific time frame by
which, the Contract system will be abolished with absorption of all workers presently
engaged through contractors. Electricity is in concurrent list of the constitution, hence
convention urges upon the Government of India, in consultation with appropriate
Governments to adopt following steps all over Electricity industry of the country :

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● Comply Apex Court Order to Stop Contractorisation of work of permanent/
perennial nature.
● Ensure payment of Equal wages and benefits to the contract workers at the
same rate as available to the regular workers of same industry /
establishment till regularization of all the contract workers.
● Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage
irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not
less than Rs 18,000/- linked with cost price index.
● Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund;
● Ensure Pension for all with increase of the quantum of gratuity.
● Stop FDI in Railways, Insurance and Defense and disinvestment of PSUs.
● Stop Transfer of National Assets and Resources to Private Hands.
● Put hold upon Anti-Labour Labour Laws Amendment.
● Ensure Electricity for all at affordable cost.
Convention firmly declares, unless Government of India in association with the
State Governments concerned adopt suitable steps to end the exploitative
situation in the Power Industry through amicable discussion, workers and
employees will not be responsible for breach of industrial peace and harmony.

Long Live Unity of Workers & Employees

Electricity for All at Affordable Cost
Stop Loot of National Energy Resources

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 Annexure-15

ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES
FEDERATION OF INDIA
National Convention on Right to Energy
New Delhi, 11 December, 2013

A National Convention on Right to Energy took place at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi
at the call of Electricity Employees Federation of India. Com. Tapan Sen, General
Secretary, CITU and M.P. inaugurated the convention while Prasanta Nandi
Chowdhury, General Secretary, EEFI presented the draft declaration for adoption in
the convention. Com. Tapan Sen in the course of his inaugural address criticized the
Govt. of India for their anti people policy in all respects and Energy Sector also. They
are more interested in the profit of the traders and Business men rather than
ensuring energy security of the people of India. Everyday new and newer scams are
being revealed. They are daunted to play their obnoxious role to favour the big
corporate. Com. A.K. Padmanabhan, President, CITU greeted the Convention and
appreciated EEFI for taking such an important issue into focus. Among the other
speakers Com. S.S. Subramaniam, Treasurer, EEFI Com. Swadesh Dev Roye,
Working President, EEFI, Com. Subhash Lamba and J.S. Uppal, supported the draft
declaration. On behalf of fraternal organizations Shailendra Dubey, Secretary
General, AIPEF, S. Ratina Sabapathy, LPF, Ashok Kumar, General Secretary,
AIFOPDE spoke in support and Kuldip Kumar, Genral Secretary, INEWF also
supported the Declaration. Com. K.O.Habib Presided over the convention. The
convention unanimously adopted the Declaration below:

Declaration
The 7th National Conference of EEFI held at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu between 10-
12 August, 2013 resolved to suggest the organizations of workers and employees of
energy sector to take up the issue of Energy Security of the Nation providing
adequate availability of Energy at affordable cost for one and every citizen of India.
Based on this background, this historic National Convention on right to Energy of
people of India at the call of Electricity Employees Federation of India, took place at
Mavlankar Hall, New Delhi with the participation of all major National Federation of

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Workers and Employees of Energy Sector enterprises takes up the following aspects
for serious consideration towards developing united struggle of the Energy Sector
Employees and People of India as a whole to achieve universal access to Energy:

● One of the primary living conditions for human beings of present era is
access to Energy. Energy is a key driver of growth and development for the
human community as a whole.
● In April 2011, the UN General Assembly declared 2012 as the ―International year of
sustainable Energy for All‖. This was in recognition of the growing importance of
energy for economic development and climate change mitigation. Separately, in
November 2011, the UN Secretary General launched the ―Sustainable Energy for All‖
initiative to attract global attention for meeting the three objectives of ensuring
universal access to modern energy services, doubling the rate of improvement in
energy efficiency, and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy
mix. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012-also
referred to as ―Rio+20‖ – was held at Rio do Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. While no
firm commitments were made at Rio+20, a process for sustainable development was
initiated. On energy and energy access, the
agreement stated: ―We are determined to act to make sustainable energy
for all a reality and, through this, help to eradicate poverty and lead to
sustainable development and global prosperity. We recognize that the
activities of countries in broader energy-related matters are of great
importance and are prioritized according to their specific challenges,
capacities, and circumstances, including their energy mix‖.
● Fact reveals that World Energy supplies are becoming increasingly constrained.
India needs to grow its energy share in a market with sluggish growth in supply
and rising prices. It is assumed that the world‘s fossil fuel supplies grow by 2%
per annum. Then India‘s share of world supplies of fossil fuels in 2031-32 would
rise from a level of 3.7% to a low of 7.6% in the most energy efficient scenario to
10.9% in the most energy intensive scenario.
● President Kalam in his Independence Day address to the nation in 2005 has
called for achieving energy independence. While energy security is a major
concern for the next 25 years, from the longer term perspective energy
independence becomes important. The main challenges are to augment total
domestic energy supply.
● As per Expert Committee constituted by Planning Commission in August, 2004,

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 Energy Security, which means ensuring that our country can supply lifeline
energy to all its citizens, at affordable costs at all times, is thus a very
important and significant need and is an essential step forward. But it must be
considered as a transition strategy, to enable us to achieve our real goal that
is – Energy Independence or an economy which will function well with total
freedom from oil, gas or coal imports. Is it possible? Hence, Energy
Independence has to be our nation’s first and highest priority.
● Energy Security : Obtaining a secure and adequate supply of a traded
commodity, be it food or fuel, is generally a problem prevalent amongst poor
people, poor regions or poor nations. The World Energy Assessment (UNDP
1999) report defines Energy Security as: ―The continuous availability of
Energy in varied forms in sufficient quantities and reasonable price.‖ This
definition needs to be modified to depict our situation more clearly.
● We define Energy Security as follows: ―We are Energy Secure when we can
supply lifeline Energy to all our citizens irrespective of their ability to pay for
it as well as meet their effective demand for safe and convenient Energy
to satisfy their various needs at affordable prices, at all times within a
prescribed confidence level considering shocks and disruptions that can
be reasonably expected.‖
● The Government of India has historically subsidized four major petroleum
products (petrol, diesel, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas [LPG] with the
primary objective of increasing their affordability and protecting domestic
consumers from international price volatility. The so called pro capitalists
were opposing subsidy system on the plea of losses to the oil companies.
This is not true. Oil companies are making reasonable profit.
· The new Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP) was notified in 1999 based
on the demand of corporates to provide a level playing field to public and
private sectors and Reliance was awarded contract for operating K G Basin.
● RIL offered NTPC a Price of US$ 2.34 per mmbtu, while ONGC rate was US$
1.83. In September 2007 before starting operation EGOM approved a rate of
US$ 4.2 against their demand of 4.33. Their subsequent demand was USD
14.2 was not meted and RIL reciprocated with lowering the production. Govt
decided to hike the price of gas to 8.4$/mmbtu from 01.04.2014.
● In 2011, 53% of Energy produced in India was Coal based. The Planning
Commission estimated that at a 5% rate of growth of Coal consumption, India‘s

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 domestic Coal reserves (50 BT) can be expected to last only 45 years. Expert
Committee on integrated Energy Policy indicated that India has an estimated
56-71 BT of extractable Coal.
● Resource is limited. Hence, prudent utilization demands much of care. But our
policy makers are in a ruinous game. They are transferring Coal reserves to
private hands to meet their unscrupulous goal in the name of Ultra Mega Power
Projects and faster extraction. They are diverting Coal from the allocated blocks
for their commercial gain in an unlawful way. Scam amounting to 10.6 lakh crores
was unearthed in this murky deal in an initial report of CAG. After CBI
intervention the report was changed at the sweet will of the minister concerned.
● All India Coal Workers Federation in the report of their 8th National Conference
very perfectly commented, “Through such privatization drive in Coal mining, the
Government of the day is finally abdicating responsibility to ensure availability of
Coal and Electricity, both essential necessity for the common people and also for
development of our country, at affordable price, thereby paving the way for total
deregulation to serve the private corporates’ lust for profit.”
● This convention vehemently opposes various forms and avenues of
exploitation of casual, contract, outsourced and irregular engagement of
workers and employees in the Energy Sector and calls upon all sections of
Energy consumers to come forward hand in hand with the organizations of
workers and employees on the path of united struggle to make an end of the
exploitation as well as to achieve the Right to Energy for all.
● Even after so many deadlines set by many a Government for Electricity for
All, so far till 2011, about 400 million (33%) people of our country had no
access to electricity and about 836 million (72%) people were dependent on
traditional biomass for cooking (IEA 2012).
● The per capita electricity consumption required to achieve a fair Human
Development Index for a country is estimated to be about 5000 units, whereas
that available in India is around 700 units resulting in a very poor HDI rank of 136
among various countries. Whatever declaration and tall talks are being circulated
by the Government their intention to deny right to Electricity is crystal-clear by the
policy they pursue. CERC issued notification on Terms and Conditions of Tariff
regulations and an approach paper on the Terms and Conditions of tariff
regulation for the period 1.4.2014 to 31.3.2019. Nowhere in this documents
affordability of the people have been taken into consideration.

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● The draft amendment to the Electricity Act 2003 published in October 2013 is
another anti-people step taken by the Government of India. The direction of the
Government is to bifurcate the different activities in the distribution sector into
distribution and supply. Government of India insists that this must be completed
within a period of three years. According to the new document Open Access in
distribution is also mandatory. In future the selection of Electricity Regulatory
Commission, the State Government will not be consulted. The selection will be
done by the judiciary and the Chairman will be a judge. Tariff should be revised
upward every year and the state Government should deposit the amount of
subsidy required before revision of tariff, if any subsidy to be given to consumers.
● The object of Government of India and its advisers towards denial of access to
Energy for people of India becomes crystal clear from all the projects, schemes,
mission declared by them. For example the Financial Restructuring Plan
imposing compulsory annual tariff hike and imposition of open access etc. In the
Energy chapter of approach paper for 12th plan Government has clearly declared
the target of upward revision of Energy prices to global level. Our people will earn
in local standard and pay for Energy in the global standard. It is a clear indication
towards denial of Right to Energy for the people of India.
● This National Convention on Right to Energy being held at New Delhi on 11th
December, 2013 calls for united struggles for recognition of the Right to Energy
as a fundamental human right and to bring in necessary changes in the policies
to strengthen the public sector institutions created by Independent India to
achieve the goal of universal access to energy within the shortest possible time.
● ―Right to Energy for all‖ or the call for ―Urja ka Adhikar Manav Adhikar Banao‖
is undoubtedly a call for the change in the neo liberal policies pursued by the
government in the whole Energy arena. The recognition of right to energy for
all as a fundamental human right to ensure a decent and modern living
condition for the citizens of the country will change the paradigm of energy
sector policies pursued by the Government. The recognition of right to energy
need to create the necessary institutional and policy frameworks for ensuring
accessibility, availability and affordability of power for all.
This convention pledges the following demands to Government of India for
immediate settlement

◆ Ensure Energy for all at affordable cost

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◆ Stop transfer of Energy resources to the private hands cancel all PPAs, MOUs
for allocation of Natural Energy Resources.

◆ Control price hike-prevent corruption

◆ Stop exploitation and ensure safe working condition for All Energy Workers

◆ Ensure Wage Revision for all Energy Workers and Employees through
collective bargaining mechanism

◆ Ensure strict enforcement of basic labour laws

◆ Stop disinvestment of PSUs and nationalize all power generating stations

including Natural Resources of our country.

◆ No contractualisation of perennial work

◆ Ensure full social security with pension / PF / ESI for all

◆ All demands of CTUos and National Federations of Energy Sector are to be

settled immediately

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 Annexure-16

Electricity is essential to modern life, both at home and on the job. It has become
such a familiar part of our daily life. However, we tend to overlook the hazards
electricity poses and fail to treat it with the respect it deserves. Electricity is often
referred to as a ―silent killer‖, because it cannot be tasted, seen, heard, or
smelled. It is essentially invisible.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, death due to
electrocution averages around 25.06 deaths per day (9149 in 2010).
The hazards associated with the use of electricity can affect any one. The major
hazards of electricity are electric shock, electrical arc – flash, electrical arc – blast.
In electricity the source is the power generating station. Current travels through
electrical conductors (Transmission and Distribution network) in the form of
wires. So most of the electricity employee work in Generation, Transmission and
Distribution Companies both in public and private sector.
The dangers associated with the use of electricity may be classified as:
● Injury from direct contact:
– Injury by shock.
– Injury from internal burns.
● Injury without current flow through body:
– Direct burns from electric arcs, spattered molten metal, etc.
– Radiation burns from very heavy arcs.
– Physical injury from false starting of machine, failure of crane controls,
explosion of switchgear, etc.
– Injury from fire and explosion from electric ignition of flammable vapours,
gases, liquids and solids.
– Eye injury from electric arcs,
● Eye injury from current flow induced in or near the human body by
intense electric magnetic fields:
– Injury from elevation of whole body temperature.
– Local injury such as cataract formation in the eye.
– Burns due to metallic objects such as rings, dental metal in close contact
with local part of body.

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Electrical shock occurs either when an individual comes in contact with:
● both wires of an electric circuit,
● one wire of an energized circuit and the ground,
● a metallic part that accidentally becomes energized by contact with an
electrical conductor.
The severity and effects of an electrical shock depends on a numbers of factors,
such as;
● The path of the current through the body
● The amount of current flowing through the body
● The length of the time of the exposure and
● Whether the skin is wet or dry.
● The effects of current on human body vary from person to person, which
mainly depend upon the quantity of current, pathway through the body,
duration of exposure, and type of current. The Table 1. Show the effect of
current on human body.
The most common shock related to injury is burn. Burns suffered in electrical
accidents may be of three types, viz.
● Electrical burns,
● Are burns or Flash burns
● Thermal contact burns.

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What to do in case of electrical shock?
we are aware that the electricity will follow any available path. Electricity travels
at the speed of light. At 299800 Km per second, you are not given the slightest
warring: there is no time to react. The rescue of electrical shock victims depend
on prompt action.
● In case of electrical shock, the following steps are to be taken immediately:
– Shut off the voltage at once.
– Do not make direct contact with any part of the victim‘s body with any part
of your body.
– Try to free the victim from live conductor by using a dry piece of wood or dry
plastic or wooden broom or dry clothing or other non conducting material.
– Determine the victim is breathing.
– If the victim is not breathing, apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
and First- Aid without any delay
● In case of electrical shock, the following First – Aid should be given to the victim:
– Cool the burn with running water.
– Cover the victim with a blanket.
– Do not attempt to remove burned clothing.
– Do not apply ice or any other ointment or cotton dressing to the burn.
– Handle the victim with care.
– Keep the victim from moving.
– Treat for shock.
– Maintain body temperature.
– Do not give anything by month.
– Call for emergency medical attention.
Fuses, circuit breakers and ground – fault circuit interrupters are three well – known
circuit protection devices used to prevent electrical hazards. Many are designed to
automatically limit or shut off flow of electricity in the event of a ground fault, overload, or
short circuit in the wiring system. Fuses and circuit breakers prevent over – heating of
wires and components. They disconnect the circuit when it becomes overloaded.
Majority of the Electrical accidents are caused by a combination of three factors:
● Unsafe equipment and / or installation.

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● Unsafe workplace made by the environment.
● Unsafe work practices.
Do‘s for working with electricity:
● Always wear rubber soled shoes and safety gloves when working with electricity
● Use double insulated tools.
● Use rubber floor mating if possible
● Utilize nonconductive tools and ladders
● Use only THREE pin plugs, which provide a path to ground that helps prevent
the built up or voltages that may result in an electrical shock or spark.
● Use shut off switches and / or circuit breakers to shut off equipment in the
event of fire or electrocution
● Always use ground fault circuit interrupters around areas where there is water
● Keep combustible materials away from lamps or heating devices.
● Live parts of electrical equipments must be guarded against accidental contact
● Limit the use of extension cords or multiple adapters
● Inspect the wiring of equipment before each use
● Switch off lamps when changing light bulbs.
● Disconnect appliances before cleaning.
● Call the fire station in case of an electrical fire.
● Call the electricity office, if you see person has been electrocuted.
● Before you work on a rooftop television antenna, make sure the area is clear
of power lines.
● Install antennas where they won‘t touch or fall on electric lines.
● If a cord or plug is warm or hot to touch, unplug it immediately, check wires,
extension cords and appliances for signs of wearing.
● In case of an electrical fire, if you are safe, unplug the appliance and use
DCP type fire extinguisher to douse the flames.
● Stay in the car during a storm because the rubber tires stop electricity from
passing through it, if the car is struck by lightning or fallen cable.
Don‘ts for working with electricity:
● Do not plug electrical appliances in bathroom unless specific safety devices

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 have been installed.
● If you are in contact with water never touch electrical light switch.
● Do not put your fingers in a light bulb holder.
● Do not put any into an outlet except a plug.‘
● Do not leave electric devices where small children may have access.
● Do not use a lamp in a metal holder fixed to the end of a loose flexible wire as
a portable hand lamp.
● Never climb transmission towers.
● Don‘t attempt to fix cord that have been cut or damaged.
● Never use damaged cords.
● Never pull out a plug by the cord.
● Never place electrical cords under carpets which can result in wearing of the
cord.
● Never bend or remove the ground on a three pin plug, which is designed to
help prevent shock and may save your life.
● Do not use extension cords as permanent wiring as they are not designed for it.
● Never use cords or plugs that show wear or damage, they can cause shock
or fires.
● Do not overload an extension cord.
● Never puncture insulation of electrical cords by nailing them to any substances.
● While climbing trees stay away from those near power lines.
Electricity Industry is mainly divided by three major sector.
● Generation
● Transmission and
● Distribution
Generally the Health, Safety and Environment issues of Power Generation Plants
are governed by The Factories Act 1948 and amendment, The Boilers Act, The
Employees‘ State Insurance Act, The Compensation Act, The Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
The Environmental Protection Act, The Contract Labour (Regulation and
Abolition) Act, The BOCW act. Etc.
And in case of Transmission and Distribution it was initially governed by the Indian

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Electricity Rules 1956, Electricity act 2003, The Contract Labour (Regulation and
Abolition) Act etc. In 2016 the Central Electricity Authority hereby made
regulations for Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply which is called
the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply)
Regulations, Where the under section
28. Display of instructions for resuscitation of persons suffering from
electric shock,
29. Precautions to be adopted by consumers, owners, occupiers, electrical
contractors, electrical workmen and suppliers
30. Periodical inspection and testing of installations
31. Testing of consumer‘s installation
46. Testing, Operation and Maintenance
Chapter VII :Safety requirements for overhead lines, underground cables
and generating stations
Schedule-III
Handling electric supply lines and apparatus for carrying out shut down
work or testing [See sub-regulation (3) of regulation (19)] are described.
As per Section 29 -36 of the Indian Electricity Rules 1956, all electric supply lines
and apparatus shall be of sufficient ratings for powers, insulation and estimated
fault current and of sufficient mechanical strength, for the work they may be
required to do and shall be constructed, installed, protected, worked, and
maintained in such a manner as to ensure safety of personnel and
property.These provisions cover all the aspects for ensuring safety right from
choosing of materials for electrical installation, actual installation, protective
devices to be provided, tests to be taken, periodical maintenance and upkeep,
etc. In fact there are specific rules elsewhere in the Electricity Rules, specifying
requirements in connection with the various aspects mentioned above.
Similarly the safety provisions for the employees of generating Stations are
briefly described in various sections of The factory act 1948.
Now days due to the global economic reforms and the India government policies
out sourcing of various jobs related to O&M in Generation, Transmission and
Distribution are normal practice and this increasing trend to engage contractual
employees is a major threat to ensure safety of the workers.
In all related acts and rules it is clearly described that, it is the duty of the principal
employer to ensure health and the safety of the worker but due to the negligence of
statutory vigilance authorities, these sector of workers are highly deprived in this

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regard and majority of accident is reported among this group of employees. It has
been found a considerable no. of contract workers of coal fire thermal Power
plants are suffering from lung function abnormalities, Pulmonary function
abnormalities, senor neuro loss, skin diseases, asthma and so on.
In the construction stage and in running projects, In case of any accidental injury
contractors generally refuse to bear the medical treatment cost of the victim and
in case of permanent disablement arises in course of an on duty accidental injury
the victim is either eliminated from the job or such a situation is created so that
the victim get bound to leave the job as the principal employer do not take the
responsibility of such worker.
Whereas the bench of SU P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A comprising of
Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.K. Sikri. said
in a Judgment in the WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO(s). 79 OF 2005 between
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ASSOCIATION (Petitioner(s) VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. Respondent(s) that
1. Comprehensive medical checkup of all workers in all coal fired thermal power
stations by doctors appointed in consultation with the trade unions. First medical
check up to be completed within six months. Then to be done on yearly basis.
2. Free and comprehensive medical treatment to be provided to all workers
found to be suffering from an occupational disease, ailment or accident, until
cured or until death.
3. Services of the workmen not to be terminated during illness and to be treated
as if on duty.

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 Annexure-17

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 Annexure-18

LETTER HEAD OF CONCERNED

ORGANISATION
23RD December, 2014
Shri Narendra Modi,
Hon‘ble Prime Minister,
Government of India
North Block, New Delhi-110001

Sub: Electricity Workers and Employees demand withdrawal of Electricity

(Amendment Bill), 2014 introduced in the Lok Sabha on 19th December :
Observing Black Day on 23rd December

Dear Sir,
Power Sector Reform in India has turned into a mesh through two decades last.
Target of total power sector privatisation in the name of promoting competition,
efficiency and improvement of quality of supply resulted into series of scams and
multiplying hike of tariff to ensure boosting of profit of private players at the cost
of electricity consumers.
It may kindly be referred to SEBs were unbundled on the plea of accumulating
loss of Rupees 26 Thousand crores through a span of five decades with the
immense contribution of making the country food secured with energization of 15
Million Pumps with cheaper power as well completion of electrification of 85%
villages. While accumulated loss of Discoms created on promulgation of
Electricity Act, 2003 through a decade last likely to touch Rupees 5 Lakh crores
as well rocket level escalation of tariff. Presently, major portion of Electricity
Workers are being exploited in the name of Contactorisation, Casualisation and
outsourcing, no such exploitation was their in SEB served power sector.
Another notable contribution of so called reform through Electricity Act, 2003 is Coal
Scam. KG-D6 Gas Basin Scam, UMPP Scam, Delhi Discoms Tariff hike Scam have
decorated the performance of power sector. Private agencies entrusted with
managing Discoms with PSU generated Power and public owned assets as licensee
/ Franchises are looting the consumers but they are averting CAG audit. They have
made the proverb ―Cost to People and Profit to Private‖ from vocabulary to reality.
Separation of carriage and content proposed in the Bill will lead to cherry picking by

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the suppliers and escalation of cost of supply of power for the low end as well
rural consumers. Tariff Rationalization as indicated will be nothing but hoax.
Thousands of workers, employees and Engineers assembled at Delhi under the
banner of National Co-ordination Committee of Electricity Employees and
Engineers (NCCOEEE) on 8th December last with the demand of negating this
anti-people power sector reform. Government did not pay any heed to the logic of
the major stakeholder of the power sector.
Upon these circumstances, our organization (Name of the Union/Association)
affiliated to EEFI decided to observe BLACK DAY on 23rd December, 2014 to raise
nationwide voice of protest putting Black Badges on chest against this anti-people
of measure of your Govt. We are determined to ensure Right to Energy for the
People of India and series of agitation-activities will be resorted to. Thank You.

Sincerely Yours

General Secretary
CC Power Minister
CC: General Secretary, EEFI
Fax No and E-mail ID of Prime Minister and Power Minister is given below:

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