Yogi Adityanath’s government has announced major relief for electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh, as from now on, the electricity supply will not be cut immediately even if the smart meter balance reaches zero.
New relief measures for meter users
- The energy minister, AK Sharma, confirmed that if any smart meter balance runs out, the consumer will continue to get a power supply till Rs 200 usage for loads up to 2 kilowatts or a maximum of three days.
- Electricity will now be interrupted only after crossing this grace limit, instead of being cut as soon as the balance becomes zero.
- Consumers with up to 2 kW connections will receive special discounts on their bills.
Full‑no‑disconnection period after new meters
- The government has instructed that where smart meters have been installed recently, a 15‑day transition period will be given.
- After the 15 days, another 30 days will be provided, during which no power supply will be disconnected under any circumstances.
SMS and call alerts for low balance
- If the balance is low, an SMS and call notification will be provided on the consumer’s registered mobile number to alert them in advance.
Power supply protection on weekends and festivals
- Electricity will not be cut off on weekends and festivals, even if the balance is low or exhausted.
Complaints and restoration of power
- The government has instructed that strict action will be taken for any delay in power restoration.
- Complaints related to smart meters are to be resolved as early as possible.
- The department has been directed to restore the electricity immediately upon payment of the bill.
Emergency review of smart‑meter scheme
- The smart prepaid meter scheme by the Yogi government had proved to be a “not‑so‑smart” scheme, as around 12 lakh connections were disconnected in the state due to non‑payment or other reasons.
- The UP government called an emergency meeting and decided to form a four‑member expert committee to investigate the flaws of the smart‑meter system and submit a report to the government within ten days.
- The government has also put a hold on the installation of new smart meters across Uttar Pradesh with immediate effect.
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