ABCA general secretary Subrata Biswas questioned the legal basis of the order and recalled that the 10 June circular contradicted assurances made earlier by the Union power minister that smart meters would not be installed forcibly anywhere in the country. The notification directs all departments, district administrations and police authorities to ensure
implementation of the scheme among employees whose salaries, remuneration or honoraria are paid from the state exchequer. The government says the move is part of the Centre’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), under which smart meters are being rolled out across the country.
Arijit Das, an electrical engineer, explained that the digital devices record electricity consumption and transmit the data to electricity distribution companies through GSM, 4G, radio frequency networks, NB-IoT and power-line communication systems. Unlike conventional meters, they allow real-time monitoring of electricity use and can be read remotely.
Around 60,000 smart meters were installed in parts of West Bengal during an earlier phase of the programme. Numerous consumers subsequently complained that their electricity bills had risen unexpectedly. Others objected to the prepaid model, under which electricity supply could be interrupted if the balance in the meter ran out. Das said, โRecognising these concerns, the state government has now announced that residential smart meters will operate primarily on a post-paid basis. Consumers will receive bills after using electricity, much as they do today, rather than paying in advance.โ
Kinkar Adhikari, General Secretary of Shikshanuragi Oikya Mancha, said that smart meters often lead to higher costs and technical difficulties. An irate school headmaster asserted, “Our homes are private spaces; there is no room for government interference there”.
The smart meter programme aims to modernise India’s electricity distribution system. One of the largest players in this sector is Adani Energy Solutions Limited. The company says it has already installed millions of smart meters across multiple states and is among the biggest smart meter service providers in India. Recent corporate announcements show that the company is rapidly expanding its smart metering business and positioning itself as a major participant in the national rollout. Critics say smart meters is the beginning of a corporate handout of electricity distribution.
Officials claim the installation of smart meters in government employees’ housing complexes as a pilot phase before a wider rollout among ordinary consumers. “Initially, smart meters will be installed in the homes of government employees. If any glitches are detected and rectified, the system will subsequently be rolled out to the homes of general consumers.”
Why is compulsion necessary, ask critics and say that if consumers previously reported higher bills, what independent investigation was conducted into those complaints? If the government wants public acceptance, why not allow citizens to choose between conventional and smart meters?
In a little over a month after taking over, the BJP government in the state has managed to alienate a section of the employees while others believe that the government must be given the benefit of the doubt.
