KMSC holds protests across 14 districts over govt move to privatise power utility

The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) held a protest against the alleged government move to privatize the electricity department here on Monday. The protests were led by state president Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra and state general secretary Rana Ranbir Singh.

Sukhwinder Singh said protests were held across 14 districts of the state, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana. The state leaders of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee condemned the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government’s move to privatise the electricity board. They alleged that the government is misleading the public through propaganda while working against their interests.

The leaders criticised the Electricity Act 2003, which allows private companies to earn at least 16 per cent profit and gives them permission to generate and supply electricity. They claimed that under agreements, the government is purchasing electricity from private companies at higher rates, indirectly looting the public of their tax money.

Sukhwinder Singh demanded that the government should cancel the power purchase agreements and stop selling the electricity board to private companies. He alleged that the government had promised to cancel these agreements before forming the government but has failed to do so.

The leaders also opposed the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, which proposes to revise electricity rates and give private companies the right to decide and supply electricity. They claimed that the Bill is designed to benefit private companies at the expense of the public.

The leaders criticised the government’s decision to install prepaid meters in homes and government institutions, saying it will further burden the public. They demanded that the government should focus on providing affordable and reliable electricity to people rather than privatising the electricity board.

The protesters also opposed the land pooling policy adopted by the Punjab Government and signing of tax-free trade agreement between India and America reasoning that it would destroy the agriculture sector.

Dharnas in Tarn Taran

The district unit of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, staged a day-long dharna in front of the local circle office of the Powercom here on Monday against the move of the Union and the state government against the privatisation of Powercom.

In spite of the day-long spell of rain, the womenfolk participated in remarkable numbers. Satnam Singh Manochahal, district president, Harjinder Singh Shakri, Harbinder Singh Kang, Ranjodh Singh, Ranjit Kaur Kallha, Devinder Kaur Piddi and other leaders were among those who spoke on the occasion.

In their respective addresses, the farmer leaders said that the power system was formed to serve society and not for profit purposes but the present Union and the state government were bent upon handing it over to the private sector just to exploit the consumers. The leaders condemned the purchase of electricity at higher rates to exploit the consumers. The farmer leaders warned against installing pre-paid electric meters on domestic and commercial consumption to collect revenue easily. The leaders condemned the performance of the Powercom saying that corruption was prevailing there on a large scale and the Powercom had failed to provide uninterrupted power supply. They also alleged that the financial condition of the Powercom was so dire that a large number of posts in the offices and field were lying vacant and the management was helpless in filling them up. The leaders demanded rollback of the Powercom privatisation move.

Amritsar