Shimla: In response to the call of the Shimla March by the Joint Front of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Employees and Engineers, Thousands of employees, engineers, and pensioners from across the state, gathered and staged a massive protest demanding old pension scheme and deteriorating financial health of the state power board.
The call for the march was initiated by the Joint Front of Electricity Employees and Engineers, garnering support from the Electricity Pensioners Form and Electricity Board Pension Association, with thousands of pensioners actively participating.
During the rally, Joint Front President E. Lokesh Thakur, Employees Union President Kameshwar Sharma, and Chandra Singh Mandyal of Pensioners Form, along with other leaders, strongly advocated for the restoration of the old pension system and the establishment of a permanent arrangement for the director.
Key officials from associated organizations, including E. Mukesh Rathi, E. Revati Raman, E. Deepak Chauhan, E. Tanuj Gupta, E. Sumit Azad, E. Surendra Kumar, and Sunil, were also present at the event.
The leaders expressed concerns over the deteriorating financial condition of the Electricity Board and outlined the reasons behind it. The Front proposed that electricity employees and engineers would voluntarily forgo free electricity, a suggestion that received widespread support among the participants.
The Front emphasized that the electricity subsidy could be redirected to a class in the state more in need, excluding a large class, including electricity workers, who do not require free electricity.
Chief Minister has invited the Joint Front for talks on these issues scheduled for January 18, 2024.
In response, the Front decided to shift the march towards Chauda Maidan in the form of a rally instead of proceeding to the Secretariat.
The demonstration has been postponed until the subsequent meeting scheduled for the afternoon of January 18th in Shimla.
Expressing optimism, the Joint Front hopes that the government will grasp the seriousness of the matter, and positive outcomes will emerge from the meeting.
The Front warned that if the demands for the restoration of the old pension or the appointment of a permanent Managing Director are not met, the movement will persist. E. Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of the National Coordination Committee of Employees and Engineers, also extended strong support to the movement.
