The UP Power Corporation Nivida Samvida Karamchari Sangh has demanded the immediate reinstatement of nearly 25,000 outsourced electricity workers who were removed from service in October 2024 as part of a manpower rationalisation exercise.
Union Welcomes Energy Minister's Directions
Welcoming recent directions from the state's energy minister that contractual employees should not be removed without valid reasons, union office-bearers urged the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) management to restore the services of the affected workers.
Violation of Staffing Norms
The union stated that staffing norms fixed in 2017 prescribed the deployment of 36 outsourced employees at urban substations and 20 at rural substations. It alleged that despite a significant rise in the number of consumers, feeders, and transformers, the corporation reduced manpower in violation of these norms.
Increased Workload and Safety Concerns
According to the union, the reduction in outsourced staff has increased the workload on existing employees and contributed to a rise in fatal accidents among outsourced workers. Union general secretary Devendra Kumar Pandey said, "In areas where vertical restructuring has been implemented, including Lucknow, staffing provision has reportedly been reduced further."
The union's demand underscores the growing tension between cost-cutting measures and the need for adequate staffing to ensure safety and service reliability in Uttar Pradesh's power sector.
