New Delhi: The government on Thursday said in the Lok Sabha that consumers are not required to install prepaid electricity meters.
Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar rejected suggestions that the government was compelling consumers to adopt prepaid meters in a manner similar to private companies.
In response to a question regarding how poor farmers, who rely on daily earnings, would manage to pay for electricity, he explained that options for small recharges lasting five to ten days are available. However, he noted that serial defaulters – those who take “pride” in not paying their electricity bills – would be required to switch to prepaid meters to reduce the risk of non-payment.
The minister emphasised that power companies are commercial in nature and need to earn revenue to provide electricity to consumers. Khattar said that if consumers choose to switch to prepaid smart meters, it will benefit not only consumers but also the states and the utility companies. He said that several states have installed smart prepaid meters. The minister also clarified that prepaid electric smart meters are not being imposed forcefully on any consumers, as it is optional. He said that wherever prepaid systems have been implemented, the losses of companies have been eliminated, and they have moved into profit.
The minister said that currently the losses of power distribution companies have reached to nearly seven lakh crore rupees. He said that prepaid smart meters are being introduced to ensure proper bill collection.
