The unions also criticised the central government's Draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 .

Punjab Power Unions Unite Against Land Sale, Electricity Amendment Bill and Labour Codes

All major unions representing employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) are set to launch a joint protest movement opposing several government proposals which, according to them, threaten the future of the state’s power sector. The decision was taken unanimously at a meeting in Patiala attended by representatives from various engineering and employee associations, including the PSEB Engineers’ Association, Employees Joint Forum, Bijli Mulajam Ekta Manch, Council of Junior Engineers, Officers Accounts Association, Powercom Pension Union, Pensioners Association, Pensioner Welfare Federation and Grid Substation Employee Union, among others. According to sources present at the meeting, leaders of the Samyukt Kissan Morcha also participated in the deliberations.

General secretary of the joint platform, Ajay Pal Singh Atwal, said the unions are vehemently opposed to the state government’s plans to monetise and sell valuable power sector lands and assets. He argued that disposing of strategically located land would severely compromise the ability to build future infrastructure such as substations, transmission corridors and new power projects crucial for ensuring long-term electricity supply in Punjab.

The unions also criticised the central government’s Draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and warned that key provisions would undermine public ownership of electricity utilities, weaken the federal structure by diluting states’ roles, and increase costs for consumers and farmers. Union leaders said they expressed deep concern that the bill would threaten the affordability and reliability of electricity for households and agriculture.

Union leaders raised strong objections to the implementation of four new labour codes by the central government and described them as detrimental to workers’ rights and job security. They also criticised what they described as artificial hurdles created in the commissioning of the state’s 2x800 MW thermal power units at Ropar, which they said are essential for meeting the state’s electricity needs, officials said.

Union representatives added that the leaders announced plans to participate in upcoming coordination meetings in Chandigarh and at the national level in New Delhi under the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEE). They cautioned that any attempt to proceed with the contested proposals without withdrawal would trigger immediate statewide protests across Punjab.

Source: Times of India