Shimla, July 5, 2024: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed...

the state government's decision to privatize electricity, implement the smart meter policy, and enforce the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022.

They have demanded an immediate rollback of these anti-people policies.

Chauhan demanded strict action against officials responsible for the overpriced purchase of smart meters and urged the government to reverse its decision to avoid a public backlash.

The party argues that this move will dismantle state electricity boards and hand over distribution to private companies, leading to increased electricity costs and a heavier economic burden on the common people.

Sanjay Chauhan, District Secretary of the CPM, warns that if the government does not revoke the decision to install prepaid smart meters, the party will mobilize the public for a significant agitation.

Chauhan criticized the then  BJP-led Vajpayee government for introducing the Electricity Act, 2003, which promoted privatization in the power sector.

He further accused the Modi government of accelerating this process through the Electricity Amendment Bills of 2020 and 2022, pushing the implementation of prepaid smart meters across the country.

By December 2023, the Modi government had approved the installation of 22.22 crore prepaid smart meters, with 9.86 crore already installed.

He highlighted that during the COVID period in 2021, the former BJP government in Himachal Pradesh under Jai Ram Thakur had agreed to implement this smart meter scheme under the guise of power reforms (RDSS).

A tripartite agreement between the central government, the state government, and the state electricity board was signed, which sanctioned a project worth ₹3700 crore, with ₹1800 crore allocated for purchasing prepaid smart meters.

Chauhan pointed out that the actual cost of one prepaid smart meter ranges from ₹8000 to ₹10000, while a regular electronic meter costs only ₹400 to ₹600.

Consumers are expected to pay a monthly charge of ₹90 to ₹125 for these meters, and if a meter is damaged, they will have to bear the full replacement cost of approximately ₹9200.

Chauhan expressed concern that the current state government has reissued tenders to purchase 26 lakh prepaid smart meters at an inflated cost of ₹9200 per meter, compared to ₹3400 per meter in other states.

He accused private companies of exploiting this scheme for profit, leading to higher costs for the public. 

He added that prepaid smart meters would automatically disconnect power when the prepaid balance is exhausted, causing disruptions similar to mobile phone recharges.

The implementation of this scheme would lead to the privatization of power distribution, jeopardizing the future of thousands of employees in the state electricity board. 

Chauhan warned that the high cost and limited lifespan of the smart meters (7-8 years) would place an additional financial burden on consumers.

The discontinuation of subsidies and the rise in electricity bills would particularly impact the poor and middle-class families, small industries, and businesses.