Assam Power Sector Workers Urge Parties to Address Key Election Issues

With Assam's Legislative Assembly elections approaching, a major electricity workers' body has stepped into the political arena — not to back any party, but to demand answers from all of them.

The Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees, Engineers and Pensioners (CCOEEEP) has issued an open appeal to every contesting party, asking them to take a clear and concrete position on issues affecting Assam's power sector and its workforce.

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In its statement, the CCOEEEP described reliable, affordable, and quality electricity as a fundamental requirement for Assam's overall development — not a luxury or a political talking point.

The organization acknowledged the role of employees working across the state's three public power utilities, saying their contribution to uninterrupted service delivery deserves policy recognition, not just routine praise.

The committee called for realistic measures to modernize these public institutions and prepare them for future demand, stressing that the state's own power generation capacity must be expanded.

A central concern in the appeal is the threat of privatization in the power distribution sector.

The CCOEEEP called for keeping the distribution network out of the hands of profit-driven private entities, and raised pointed objections to certain provisions in the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill 2025.

The organization warned that the bill, if passed in its current form, could open the door to private control over electricity distribution — a move it described as against the public interest.

On the question of retirement security, the committee reiterated its long-standing demand for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for electricity sector employees, on par with what government employees previously enjoyed.

It criticized both the New Pension System (NPS) and the proposed Unified Pension System (UPS), arguing that both are tied to market performance and cannot guarantee a stable post-retirement income.

The appeal puts pension security squarely on the election agenda, asking parties to spell out where they stand before voters go to the polls.