New Delhi, July 2 -- More than 27 lakh power sector employees will observe a day-long nationwide strike on 9 July in protest against the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to privatise two discoms in the state.

Shailendra Dubey, chairman of the All India Power Engineers' Federation (AIPEF), said on Wednesday that the state government has decided to privatise Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (PVVNL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL), which cover 42 of the state's 75 districts.

"On the call of the umbrella body, National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE), power employees, junior engineers, and engineers across the country have staged massive demonstrations against the privatisation ...