NAGPUR, June 25: Employees, officials and engineers in Maharashtra State Electricity Board will go on a State-wide strike on July 7 to protest against the State's decision to privatise power generation and distribution.

The decision to go on strike was taken jointly by major organisations of employees, technical employees and engineers of the MSEB. Addressing a joint Press conference on Tuesday, leaders of these organisation alleged that privatisation would lead to a huge burden of Rs 3,650 crore on consumers.

The worst sufferers will be the farmers, who at present get power supply at subsidised rate of 24 paise per unit while the average per unit cost of generation and distribution is Rs 2.41. The MSEB continues to supply power to farm sector at subsidised rate as a part of its social commitment. In the process, MSEB suffers loss of Rs 2,845 crore.

With no such social commitments, private companies in power generation and distribution will withdraw subsidy, hold the organisations.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.