UP government scraps Pre-Paid Electricity Meter System
Lucknow, May 6: Taking cognizance of technical faults and repeated consumer complaints, the Uttar Pradesh government has scrapped the mandatory use of Pre-Paid Smart Meters for electricity consumers and reverted to the Post-Paid billing system.
All power connections will now be in Post-Paid mode and consumers will have to pay their bills after usage, a system which existed earlier.
Under the revised system, electricity bills will be generated for consumption from the first to the last day of each month and delivered by the 10th of next month.
Consumers will have 15 days from the billing date to make payments, with the due date clearly specified.
New electricity connections, however, will continue to be issued with smart meters, which will function in postpaid mode.
Around 75 lakh connections that were shifted to prepaid mode over the past year will now be converted back to postpaid.
The ongoing process of replacing old meters with prepaid smart meters has also been halted for the time being.
The rollback decision follows reports of technical faults and repeated consumer complaints.
A large number of consumers have been voicing concern over inflated and incoherent bills, lack of transparency, delays in restoration of connections despite recharge, and persistent technical glitches.
These complaints turned into protests in several parts of the state.
Against this backdrop ahead of the Assembly elections less than a year away, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath constituted a high-level committee to review the issue.
Energy Minister AK Sharma later announced that all smart meters would operate in Post-Paid mode, with monthly bills to be delivered via SMS and WhatsApp.
“The billing cycle will remain similar to the earlier Post-Paid system. Consumers will receive monthly bills through SMS and WhatsApp and will be given adequate time to make payments,” Sharma said.
Consumers who do not receive their bills can access them via WhatsApp chatbots using their connection number or lodge complaints through the 1912 helpline portal.
Those who have changed their mobile numbers have been advised to update their details to continue receiving bill alerts.
In another decision, consumers will be allowed to clear outstanding dues till April 30 in up to 10 installments.
Special camps will be organised at Division and Sub-Division levels in May and June to address smart meter-related billing grievances.
In cases where security deposits were refunded following the shift to Pre-Paid meters, the amount will now be recovered in four installments instead of a lump sum.
The government has also directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply, with strict instructions for immediate replacement of faulty transformers to prevent inconvenience to consumers. (BVI)
