Intensifying the stir against the Centre's privatisation policy, 15 lakh power employees would resort to "work boycott" on February 3, the All India Power Engineers’ Federation (AIPEF) has said.

"Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), through a letter, has also been apprised (of this) besides notice served on Union and state governments," AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey said on Sunday, during a virtual conference.

He firmly said the Electricity (Amendment) Bill in its current form is unacceptable.

To build pressure on the government, the Federation had earlier held meetings and resorted to token work boycotts.

Unless the government rescinds its decision, the agitation would be further intensified as the steps taken by the government in the name of reforms had placed power distribution companies (discoms) in a financial crisis, said the AIPEF chairman.

Despite the failure of privatisation in Agra, Greater Noida and Orissa, the government was moving ahead without take feedback on the practical aspects from discoms, who are the real sufferers, he added.

In the name of reforms, the government is serving the interest of the private sector, gradually destroying the public sector across the country, the official said.

AIPEF wants the withdrawal process of privatisation of electricity in states and Union territories to commence without further delay, he said.

The official said the Federation has demanded scrapping of the Electricity Bill and a standard bidding document for the total privatisation of distribution of electricity.

It also urged the government to re-merge all power utilities in states with the functional components of generation, transmission, and distribution like KSEB Ltd and HPSEB Ltd.

The Federation official also demanded the implementation of the old pension scheme for all power sector employees and regularisation of all contractual workers.

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