Power department has notified that it shall mandatorily install smart pre-payment meters for all categories of consumers, in a time- bound and phased manner with immediate effect.
It stated that in view of the above, those areas and or consumers where post-paid meters are operational at present, shall not be brought under the ambit of Communitisation of Electricity till further orders.
It is issued in pursuance and in compliance to the notification of the Ministry of Power, Govt, of India, and the provisions made in clause 4(1) (b) of the Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019 framed under sub-section (1) of section 55 read with clause(c) of sub-section (2) of section 177 of the Electricity Act, 2003, which has mandated installation of smart prepayment meters mandatory for all category of consumers, which states inter-alia, "All Government offices at Block level and above, and all industrial and commercial consumers, shall be metered with smart meters with prepayment mode by December,2023" and "All other areas shall be metered with smart meters with prepayment mode by March, 2025".
(DIPR)