No Prepaid Meters for Ordinary Consumers; Smart Meters Beneficial for Electricity Bills

 No Prepaid Meters for Ordinary Consumers;

Smart Meters Beneficial for Electricity Bills - Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

 

Nagpur, December 14: The decision to install smart meters in the state has been taken under a Central Government scheme. Prepaid meters will not be installed for ordinary domestic consumers, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Minister was responding during Question Hour to queries raised by Assembly Members Bhaskar Jadhav and Rais Shaikh.

Chief Minister Fadnavis stated that initially there was a proposal to install prepaid smart meters for all consumers. However, due to widespread objections, the State Government decided to implement the scheme in a phased manner. In the first phase, feeder meters and distribution meters have been installed. At present, prepaid smart meters have been installed only in government offices and establishments. For ordinary consumers, only postpaid smart meters are being installed.

Consumers who have accepted smart meters are being given a 10 percent rebate on their electricity bills, resulting in tangible benefits to citizens so far. Smart meters provide consumers with hourly electricity consumption details through a mobile application, making it easier to monitor usage. A 24-hour grievance redressal system is also available. So far, less than one percent defects have been reported in smart meters installed by five different companies.

The Chief Minister clarified that smart meters will continue in postpaid mode for the next five years, and there is no decision to make prepaid meters mandatory. He also assured that the suggestions made by Members of the Legislative Assembly would be duly considered.

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