Maharashtra news: Maharashtra power companies' employees, on Wednesday, decided to call off their three-day strike after meeting with the state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
According to sources, the decision to withdraw the strike was taken after Fadnavis assured them that the power companies will not be privatized, on the contrary, the government will invest Rs 50,000 crores in the power companies. He also claimed that other issues of power department employees will also be resolved soon.
Earlier today (January 4), thousands of employees of three state-owned power companies went on a 72-hour strike to mark their protests against the privatisation of power firms even as the government invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA).
The strike began at midnight
Speaking to the media, Krushna Bhoir, General Secretary of the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers' Federation, said that thousands of employees of the three companies participated in the strike which started at midnight.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (Mahavitaran), Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Co Ltd (Mahapareshan) and Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Co Ltd (Mahanirmiti) are the state-owned power companies.
Reason behind protests
Maharashtra Rajya Karmachari, Adhikari and Abhiyanta Sangharsh Samiti, an action committee of 31 unions of power companies, had started an agitation last month over their various demands. Their major demand is not to issue a 'parallel distribution licence' to the Adani Group's power subsidiary.
In November 2022, an Adani Group company had sought a licence for expanding its power distribution business into more areas of Mumbai.
Adani Electricity Navi Mumbai Ltd, a subsidiary of Adani Transmission, had applied to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for a parallel licence for power distribution under the jurisdiction of Mahavitaran in Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Taloja and Uran areas.
However, on Tuesday, January 3, the Maharashtra government invoked MESMA after employees of the power companies warned of the strike, so that law and order is maintained and public property is protected in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
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