Power minister concedes technical snags in 'some' smart meters
AGARTALA: The work on smart meters in Tripura began in 2015 during the Left Front government but was not properly implemented. The Indian Audit and Accounts Department even detected huge financial irregularities concerning a work order for smart meters valued at Rs 80 crore, state's Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath made the accusation in Agartala Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference, the Minister addressed complaints from power consumers regarding increased electricity bills, stating that these hikes are set by the Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission (TERC), which operates in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court. "The TERC determines the pricing for TSECL, including maintenance and salaries, and the government is not involved in this process."
After receiving public feedback and making announcements about power rates, the Commission established the fixed charge and energy bill that TSECL has no authority to change, he added.
He highlighted a recent meeting with Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha in the presence of senior officials to discuss potential solutions amid complaints from consumers concerning electricity tariffs. The Minister lashed at the opposition for allegedly trying to confuse the public about the history of smart meter implementation project, which actually began under the previous government.
He highlighted that out of 43,000 smart meters, only 34,300 are currently operational and conceded technical snags in some of them.