Commotion in UP Assembly over privatisation of power
Opposition parties termed the government decisions as unfortunate and supported the ongoing agitation of power employees.
Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government faced a belligerent opposition over its decision to hand over the power sector to private players in five major cities of the state.
Opposition parties termed the government decisions as “unfortunate” and supported the ongoi-ng agitation of power employees.
Congress members barged into the Well of the House, while Samajwadi Party members staged a walkout in protest against the government decision.
Congress Legislature Pa-rty leader Ajay Kumar Lallu said that power em-ployees had disconnected power supply to several VIP bungalows and residences of MLAs to register their protest. He said that the proposed strike by power employees on Tuesday would create a piquant situation in the state.
Members of the Samajwadi Party said that privatisation was designed to benefit corporate houses and was against the interests of power employees.
UP power minister Shrikant Sharma said that power had been handed over to private players in order to improve the services.
He said that the move would increase revenue collection and would also check line losses.
He clarified that power generation and transmission was not being given to the private sector. The UP power minister assured that all government departments would clear their power dues within one year and government offices would get prepaid meters.